The Fox and the Rabbit
by ShippingMammals
Summary: Taking place after the events in the Movie, starting directly after the Gazelle concert, the building feelings they both have to each other come to a head and take an unexpected turn. While mostly a slice of life as Judy and Nick find out more about each other, and try to figure out their relationship, loose ends from the missing mammals case will eventually emerge.
1. Chapter 1 - After the Concert

Judy and Nick walked out of the Zootopia stadium. Mammals of all kinds flanked them as the enormous crowd that had come to see Gazelle filtered out.

The bright lights of the marquee still flashed, casting shadows in front of the crowd as it shuffled along through the narrower exits. Mammals talked excitedly about the dazzling concert as they made their way, eventually spilling out in a wave into the parking lot.

Nick had to admit it had been a good concert, and the end production had certainly been something to see. He was not the huge Gazelle fan Judy and Clawhauser were, but it had still been fun. That was not even mentioning the backstage pass they had gotten for a pre-show meetup, either. Even he had been a bit star struck rubbing elbows with the famous singer before the show.

The crowd slowly thinned out as mammals broke off for various parts of the packed lot to their cars or elsewhere, but neither Judy nor he owned cars. They both agreed that in a city like Zootopia, it made much more sense to use the subway or bus. Their run-in with Flash earlier in the day being somewhat of a case in point.

Nick was still floored Flash had been the speeding bandit. They had let his old friend off with a warning, much to the displeasure of Chief Bogo. However, the chief had let it slide when they explained how Flash had helped them in the missing mammal case, and that they owed him one. Having almost always been on the other side of the law, Nick was well aware of how fluid and adaptable said 'law' was at times. Even Judy had employed some of the questionable, at best, tactics herself during the missing mammal case, but he was okay with that.

Judy was in an ebullient mood as they walked out and towards the subway station on the far side of the parking lot. She was skipping along ahead of Nick singing, arms pumping up, "I messed up tonight! I lost another fight!"

Nick smiled and inwardly chuckled as he watched her spin around and hop step backward.

"I still mess up, but I'll just start again!" she sang then stopped abruptly. She spun around, facing away with arms up. "Nick, this was amazing!" she exclaimed, looking up toward the sky. The summer sun had almost set and stars were starting to pop into existence. She was walking backward just in front of him. "Your first day, our first case solved," she said and rolled her eyes and smirked, "Even if it was Flash…. and we got to pal around with Gazelle before that fantastic concert! How cool was that?"

Nick smiled despite himself… or was it a smirk? He honestly had a hard time telling when he was smirking or smiling anymore. It didn't feel like smiling, so he slotted it over to the 'smirk' column. Especially considering the mood he was in.

"Well, I gotta say Carrots, that was pretty cool," he said. He had to admit, it had been a pretty darn good day in general, and yes, getting a backstage pass from Zootopia's biggest pop star was a pretty good cap to his first day as an official police officer. _So why am I feeling so... what?_ he thought. He couldn't put a name to how he was feeling. Giddy came to mind, or anxious. He absentmindedly rubbed at his chest, which seemed to ache any time he was around Judy these days.

 _Just my luck,_ he thought, _best day of my life and I die of a heart attack._ The more he watched his partner hop around to an imaginary beat, watched her ears flop to and fro as she swung her hips, the name for what he was feeling started to form in his head. Despite trying to perpetuate the lie he had so carefully maintained and crafted over those months, he was beginning to understand. He was starting to come to grips with why he was on edge, but tried to tell himself it was still a mystery.

The way Judy turned and grinned at him, how her top front teeth poked out from behind her lips, how she was still wired and full of energy after an amazing show, it was all getting burned into his brain.

 _And my heart… Ugh, when did I turn into such a softy._

The lies he'd told himself since meeting Judy were crumbling in front of him to the beat of a hit pop song.

Judy was too wrapped up in replaying the concert in her head to notice how lost in thought Nick looked.

He managed to pinpoint when it started to bother him tonight. That darn hip bump during the finale of "Try Everything," he thought. That ever so brief moment when their eyes met. It was more than just that, though. That had just been a catalyst for something else he had been ignoring or, at least, refusing to acknowledge for days. No. Weeks. Tonight, though… tonight, and particularly right now, right this instant, it was rapidly building. It was bordering on panic, and it took all his effort to keep himself calm.

Judy had dropped back beside him, still skipping. She smiled sidelong up at him. She hopped a step closer and gave him a light elbow in the ribs. "I think Gazelle thought you were cute!" she said, slowing her pace to walk beside him.

Nick forced a laugh and rubbed his side theatrically, "Ya think so? Is that what your detective skills told you, Carrots?" he said and stuffed his paws into his pockets, automatically giving her that trademark smirk of his.

Judy shook her head, looking forward. "Nope! That's just what my female skills tell me!" she said then leaned over and stage whispered to him out of the corner of her mouth, "I think she has a thing for predators. I mean, look at all those hunky tigers she surrounds herself with!"

Nick's heart skipped half a step. "Hunky tigers, huh? You a fan of all those teeth and claws, Fluff?" he asked, trying to ooze confidence. He wanted to bury his head in the ground when his voice cracked at the end of the sentence, betraying his faux charm. The fur on his neck stood on end with how direct he thought he was being, but it was a question he desperately wanted an answer to.

"Hmm?" Judy asked, looking up at him. "Oh, heh, I never really thought about it that way." She reached up to one of her ears and gave it a tug, and she could feel her cheeks burn just enough to notice. "I mean, I'm not opposed to them or anything, if that's what you're asking."

Nick could feel himself getting warm under his collar.

"Still, I bet you might have had a shot with her if you'd asked!" Judy continued. "Who knows, sly and courageous might be her type."

Nick forced another what he hoped was a normal sounding laugh, but in his ears, it sounded strained.

"Maybe, but she's not my type," he said distractedly. A slow horror started to build in his mind as he realized what he was going to say next. One part of his mind was howling bloody murder for him to stop, while the part in control of his mouth just kept right on going.

"Don't get me wrong," he said, "she's pretty and all that, but not what I would consider beautiful. Not beautiful like you, anyway." Nick stopped, his ears splaying out and eyes going wide. _Welp, now you've done it Wilde,_ he told himself, _I hope you're happy. There's no taking it back now._

Judy took a couple of more steps before she too stopped and slowly turned her head back towards him with her eyes wide.

The dwindling stream of mammals that still walked in their direction with them parted and flowed around the two of them drawing a few glances. Even though there was a constant low buzz of conversation around them, paws and hooves on the pavement, the sound of cars doors, and engines starting, it seemed like silence.

Judy slowly turned back around to face him directly. "N-Nick?" she said.

To Nick her voice sounded small and... what? Fragile? Hopeful? Frightened? He couldn't tell and just stood there stunned into near inaction. His paw grabbed at his chest again, clenching shirt and fur both. He looked down at his chest. It was almost like he wasn't in his body and was actually watching someone else. "You know," he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper, "they joke about it, but it actually does hurt."

A look of alarm overtook the shocked expression on Judy's face.

"Nick, are you okay?!" She stepped closer, but Nick stepped back with his other paw coming from of his pocket and held it out to stop her. His expression was unsure and confused.

Judy stopped, seeming equally confused.

"Heartache," Nick explained, his voice a bit stronger this time. He rubbed a paw back over his head and sighed. "I kept trying to ignore it, telling myself it was nothing, or just due to those extra long runs the major made us do," he said with a calm he did not feel, "but... I know what it is. I think I've known what it is for months, and just kept it hidden."

He sighed and pulled at his ears. "I can't do this anymore." His gaze moved from Judy to the marquee of the stadium with all its dazzling lights, but he wasn't seeing them. Instead, he saw events of the past months in his mind. All of them were of Judy, with Judy, or thoughts about Judy.

After they had solved the missing mammals case, Nick had put in his application for the police academy. With Judy's backing and a few pulled strings, he had gotten in. It had taken about two months of bureaucratic nonsense before he was officially accepted, and then another month before the next group of cadets started their training. In that time he and Judy had met up occasionally when schedules allowed.

Nick had still needed to hustle, but not for the need of the money. He had mainly just for something to do, so he kept on doing what he always had. He had to keep his new impending profession hidden from Finnick and others as long as he could too, for obvious reasons.

When time allowed he and Judy had met for lunch a pawful of times to catch up on what each had been doing. They had a couple of after work dinner meet-ups, too. Judy had tales of her job as a rookie cop and plenty of advice on what to expect at the Academy. Nick, however, had had fewer stories. He had always kept the conversation away from his questionable activities while he waited the long weeks for the paperwork to churn through the gears of city government.

Over time, though, their discussions had started to become slowly strange and awkward. Both he and Judy seemed to have an increasingly harder time looking directly at the other. Eyes were always shifting to something else while they talked, with each of them making excuses as to why they had to go. Always some important business to take care of, someone to meet, somewhere they had to be. He never really did, though. He wasn't really sure it was the same with Judy, but he prayed to gods he didn't believe in that it was.

Then, Nick had gone into the Academy. Nine months of long, long days. Study, exercise, training, and more exercise, more training. It had been hard, but not because of the stress or physicality of it. The actual physical part had been pretty easy for him once he got past the first month or so. In fact, he had come to enjoy the rigorous exercise, and the Major had often let him lead the group runs and call out cadence.

What had been almost intolerable, though, was not seeing Judy. Sometimes he had gone weeks without seeing her with only the occasional text or e-mail. There had been rare times he was able to get away from the academy the same time she was free, but those had been precious few and far between.

He turned back to Judy. His gaze searched her wide, confused, and oh so beautiful eyes. He swallowed hard, paw still massaging his chest absently. Slowly, he started to come to his senses, his eyes darting around as his thoughts began to race. He lifted his head, meeting Judy's worried eyes. He cocked his head slightly.

"You know, Fluff, from the first time I met you, there was something I couldn't put my paws on," he began. Images flashed through his mind again. The first time he saw her in the ice cream shop, getting wrangled into the missing mammals case, nearly getting iced by Mister Big, and that look on her face after the press conference when he confronted her. He recalled how much that had hurt him. It wouldn't have hurt the old Nick. It would have just been what, typical? Expected? Par for the course? He didn't know, but coming from that 'dumb bunny' that he hadn't even known for two days, it had felt like he had been stomped on by one of Mister Big's polar bear goons.

The few months after that disastrous news conference were not much more than a blur. He had almost stopped hustling completely, having found it nearly impossible to drum up his normal motivation for scamming mammals out of money or pulling off his myriad of lucrative cons. Even when he had, he had let Finnick take the lead most of the time. Finnick, bless his angry little heart, had tried his best to pull him out of his despondency to little effect and eventually gave up. He smiled inwardly as he remembered what Finnick had told him later. "Man, I was so glad to see that bunny, you have no fuckin' idea."

Then she had come back and found him. He hadn't even known she'd left the force and gone home to BunnyBurrow. He had just been moping around that day, just like he'd done all the previous days that week. Then, he heard her calling for him from the bridge. The elation he felt was unlike anything he had known in years. He'd desperately wanted to jump up and rush up there. He didn't, though. Instead, he panicked, fumbled around, plopped himself down into that ratty chair and tried to act cool just as she had poked her head over the side of the bridge. Walking away from her like that had been one of the hardest things he had ever done in his life.

When she pinned his badge to his chest just a few days ago, the look of swelling pride she gave him filled him with more satisfaction than the bright, crisp set of blues he was wearing ever could. That one simple thing had made it all worthwhile.

It wasn't that he had not had relationships before; he had plenty over the years. Not with any rabbits to be sure, but he had certainly never felt like this towards anyone else. The closest to this was his first, but thinking about it always left him with a sour taste in his mouth. It reminded him of when he'd been muzzled as a kit at his first scouts meeting.

He was done. He was done hiding all this. He didn't care that she was a rabbit. He didn't care that she was much younger than him. He had been willfully blinding himself or ignoring his feelings for months, and he couldn't do it anymore. _I love her,_ he finally admitted to himself, _and I have for a long time. Time to start acting like it._

"Nick I-" Judy started to say when Nick didn't continue, but that brought Nick out of his reverie and he continued talking as if he had never stopped.

"It's funny," he said, his eyes locking with hers again, "I've never been one to believe in fate or destiny. Then I think about all the little events that had to happen for us to meet that day and I have to wonder. If just one had been different, just one, we would never have met." He searched her eyes, grinning as her nose wriggled like it did when her attention was tightly focused. "Just one, Judy," he said.

Judy sucked in a small breath.

Nick never called her Judy. In fact, the only time he recalled using her name was after that plunge at Cliffside, and she had not even heard that. It was always Carrots, Fluff, or Officer Hopps if he was sarcastic, but never Judy. Its use was a bit calculated on his part, but it had the intended effect.

"Nick, I... think about that more than you know," she said after several moments of silence. Her eyes stayed steadfastly focused on his. "It feels like there was so much, I don't know, coincidence? But now, there's…"

"There's what?" he asked.

"There's no other mammal I'd rather be around than you," she finished. Nick thought her indigo eyes shimmered under the moonlight, and the intensity of her gaze forced him to break eye contact.

When what she said registered it nearly derailed his already shaky train of thought. His heart sped up even faster, if that were possible. His mind started running in circles trying to make sense of what was just said. Did what he had just heard mean what he thought it did or was he just making into what he wanted it to mean? A cold dread built in the pit of his stomach. _This could just a prelude to the dreaded 'I like you as a friend' speech_ , the pessimist in him said, but it didn't _sound_ like it. The dread was quickly replaced by a giddy thrill at the thought that it _did_ mean what he hoped. He groaned and a paw slid to the back of his neck to unconsciously pull at the scruff of looser skin and fur. He blinked. Judy stood there, staring back at him with those wide amethyst eyes. S _ay something, Wilde!_

"You… you do something to me," he said finally, "I don't understand how or why." He let his arm drop and laughed, looking up. "I mean me? Nick Wilde! The first fox police officer in the history of Zootopia, and to top it off, he's fallen for a rabbit? Tell that to anyone a year ago who knows me and they would call you a liar," he said then raised his arms, paws up, "Yet, here I am."

Judy opened her mouth to say something, but no sound would come out as she processed what he'd said. Her ears stood straight up as her heart raced.

He took a step closer to the now silent and frozen Judy. "You're the reason I am here. The reason I became a cop," he said, "I know you know that, but... well, sometimes this all seems like a dream to me." He barked out a nervous little laugh and shrugged, "You make me want to be better than I was, and the heavens help me I want you to be proud of me."

He clenched his jaw. He couldn't believe how sappy he was being. Finnick would give him so much crap if he saw this. This was so not him, or at least had not been him in a very long time. His vision began to swim, and he swallowed, steeling himself for what he was about to say. Now or never, Wilde, now or never.

Judy sniffled just audibly enough for Nick to hear. "Nick, I — of course I'm proud of you! What are you saying? Did you…" she said, before getting very quiet. "Did you do all of this for me?"

"Judy Hopps," he said slowly, unable to stop his voice from cracking just a little, "I love you. I love you, but I am terrified that you don't or can't love me."

Judy's jaw slowly dropped. Her heart, already racing in her chest, beat even faster. Tears started to gather in the corners of her own eyes as she stood there for a long moment, mutely returning Nick's wide-eyed stare. She blinked and closed her mouth, swallowed hard, and stepped forward. She cleared her throat and grabbed Nick's tie. She pulled him down to her as a smile formed on her lips.

"What was that one song Gazelle sung?" she asked, determination clawing its way into her voice. "The one she just finished singing at the end of the show?"

Nick stared at her dumbly, suddenly at a loss for words. "Er, 'Try Everything?'"

She touched her nose to his and looked straight into his eyes for a long second before quietly saying, "Exactly." Then, very slowly, she kissed him.

The ground beneath Nick may as well have vanished from under him. The moment her lips made contact with his, the only thing in his world was how soft she felt against him.

In the distance, an incredulous gruff voice could be heard.

"Is that Officer Hopps and Wilde?" it said.

There was a brief pause, then another voice spoke.

"O… M… GOODNESS!"


	2. Chapter 2 - Wicked Game

Judy broke the kiss, opening her eyes. The dazed look on Nick's face was too much, and she couldn't help letting out a giddy little giggle. She was so wrapped up in the moment that she didn't notice the large presence looming over them both. The unmistakable sound of Chief Bogo clearing his throat interrupted the pair's reverie.

Judy and Nick turned their heads and looked up, although Nick was still barely coherent from the kiss.

Chief Bogo glowered down at them with a scowl on his face. Both he and Clawhauser stood there. They, along with a few others, had also gotten the backstage passes from the singer. Unlike Nick and Judy, they were still in uniform.

"You two, my office, 7 a.m. tomorrow," he said then added in that forceful staccato way where each word felt like a slap, "Do not be late." His eyes pinned them each with a brief glare before he gave a bullish snort and walked away.

Clawhauser stood there a moment longer with his paws balled up against his cheeks like he always did when excited. He opened his mouth as if he was about to say something, but all that came out was a delighted squeal before he darted after the Chief.

Nick's expression slowly changed to one of horror. "The entire ZPD is going to know about this within the hour…" he said, his voice monotone.

At that moment, the ZPD was the last thing on Judy's mind. She scanned over Nick; small things about him she'd never noticed before were now apparent. The noticed how his eyes seemed to glow dimly in the moonlight, and how the whiskers on the right side of his nose were just a bit longer than those on the left. She thought it matched the subtle lopsidedness of his smile, which hadn't really left his face since their lips had separated.

The more she looked, the more the fire in her chest burned. She tightened her grip on his tie and brought his face close to hers again.

"Don't care!" Judy said, tugging Nick by the tie to get him going, "C'mon…"

Nick stumbled after her, nearly tripping over his own feet. She let his tie go as he got his legs working. "W-where are we going?" he asked with trepidation. It can't be this easy, his half-stunned mind thought.

Judy looked back at him. Nick's expression, his entire posture really, was one of someone concussed or sleepwalking. She grinned. It was rather cute.

"Your place." she said, "It's closer." Am I really doing this? she asked herself. Yes. Yes, I am. She realized she was not exactly thinking straight, but indecisiveness had never really been her style. She knew this was going to be... something. Trouble, exciting, and new… definitely something new.

"Wait, what?!" Nick blurted out and hurried his pace to catch up with her. He looked down, his ears still splayed out and his eyes wide."Judy I... we... I mean…" he stammered, wringing his paws.

Judy stopped and turned to him and Nick stumbled to a stop. She gathered her scattered thoughts for a moment and took a deep breath to steel herself.

"Look Nick. I don't know..." she said waving a paw, "what this is. What we are, or what is going to happen." She swallowed and took another breath, reaching up to touch the side of his muzzle. "But... I know what I want and… I want you. You and your pretty fur, your smug face, your sharp teeth — everything. You don't have to be terrified that I don't… or can't love you. I do." The emotion was getting too high again, and it threatened to overwhelm her. She rapidly blinked her eyes, abruptly turned, and continued walking.

Nick followed behind her dumbly. "You think my fur is pretty?" he asked.

Judy couldn't restrain a giggle. "Out of all of that, that's what you choose to focus on?" she asked.

The corners of Nick's mouth turned upwards. "Well, no one has ever told me my fur is pretty before! Handsome, maybe, but not pretty."

"Is that an issue?" Judy asked. She wheeled to face him and brought her paw to his face, lightly caressing his fur.

Although it was impossible for a red fox to blush, Nick was sure he was based on the warmth blooming in his cheeks. "N-no," he choked out, taken aback by their sudden closeness again. "I kind of like it."

"And what about the rest of what I said?"

Nick's breath caught in his throat as he replayed what she'd just said in his head. His muzzle worked, but he was having a hard time finding any words. He eventually let out a long breath and ran his hands over his head and ears to his neck, bewildered. "I... I just thought this would be harder," he said. That was an ironic thought considering what had just happened and how much he had had to wind himself up to confess his feelings to Judy. "I didn't think you'd feel the same way."

Judy looked up at him. She could feel her heart hammering in her chest as the words pouring from her mouth were settling in the air around them. "This isn't easy Nick," she said, her voice on the brink of breaking. She held up a shaking paw. "Does this look like I think this is easy? I'm not even 100 percent sure what I'm feeling, but I know it's making me happy. You're making me happy," she said and resumed walking as abruptly as she had stopped, "Now come on before I lose my nerve."

Nick looked after her blankly. Is this really happening?

"Sometime tonight, Wilde!" Judy called without turning her head.

A sudden silly grin spread across this muzzle. _This really is happening! Hot damn!_ he thought and almost barked with elation. "Yes ma'am!" he said and darted after Judy and fell in silently beside her.

They walked in silence to the station and luckily didn't have to wait more than a minute before the Animalia Line train slid in. They were far from alone; the station was full of others leaving the concert, too. They bumped and jostled their way into the train and somehow managed to score a set of seats directly across from the doors.

The doors stood open for a bit longer before a pleasant female voice said, "Please stand clear, doors are closing. Please stand clear, doors are closing." A moment later the doors smoothly closed, and the train began to move. The motion rocked them lightly as the train slid out into the darkening night.

Judy had been right — Nick did live fairly close as far as the subway went. However, with the frequent stops, it would take a good twenty minutes to reach the station near his apartment. She scooted closer to him,snuggled right up against his side, and leaned her head against his arm. Her small paw sought out his larger one and clasped it, fingers intertwining.

Nick briefly squeezed her paw in his and looked down at her. The shock had worn off, replaced by one of wonder and a goofy grin. He was nervous, but with the revelation of Judy's mutual interest, his male mind was leading him down some new and interesting paths.

Judy smiled up at him. "What?" she asked innocently, "Is this really so hard to believe?" Judy honestly wasn't exactly sure what was going on herself. She had never been in love before, but this certainly felt like what she thought it should feel like.. She couldn't put a finger on exactly when she thought these feelings had started stirring in her, but she knew the missing mammal investigation had changed her. The moments after that horrible press conference kept coming to mind when Nick had called her out on her own unintentional prejudice. She was still overcome with shame every time she thought about her reaction and how she'd reached for that Fox spray. That look of betrayal from Nick had made her ache. Even a year later, it still hurt.

 _It wasn't love then, but it had been something,_ she thought. Something that built more with every moment she had spent with him since. She'd thought it was so strange how they had just clicked the way they had and become such fast friends, given how different they were. Now, though, it didn't seem strange at all. Now that she'd felt Nick's lips against her own, it almost seemed obvious. Natural, even.

Nick turned his head up and took in a breath. He held it for a bit and then let it out in a long sigh. His paw squeezed Judy's' again. He had regained more of his usual self since the parking lot, but it was easy to see how nervous he still was.

"Honestly…" he said, "Yeah, Fluff. It really is." His initial excitement just minutes ago had begun to give way to uncertainty.

Nick looked down at Judy again in a way that made her inwardly squirm. It was the same look of wonder that he initially had in the parking lot, with his ears splayed out and his eyes wide. As she watched, she could see doubt creeping into his expression.

"I…" he started, before swallowing and looking away. "I've never really been very good at… relationships," he said. He brought his free paw up and rubbed his neck. "I mean, don't get me wrong here, Carrots, it's not that I haven't had girlfriends or relationships before." He gave her a sidelong more customary smirk. "I am a handsome specimen of a fox, irresistible to ladies of all species, but-"

Judy interrupted with a snort and rolled her eyes.

Nick grinned and lifted his head back up. "But seriously, I, well, they never tended to, um, end well." His ears folded down against his head as his voice took on a slightly dejected tone.

Judy lifted her head up to him. It was Judy's turn to squeeze his paw back. "Why?" she asked quietly.

Nick didn't respond for several long seconds. He stared out the windows of the doors opposite him and watched another car pass in a blur . He took in a breath and opened his muzzle to speak, but paused. He slowly gave an exaggerated shrug. "Con artist doesn't exactly scream stability or stellar father figure, does it?" he said simply.

Judy started to say something, but Nick continued in a falsetto voice, waving his other paw in the air. "Oh, so what do you do Mister Wilde?" Nick said and dropped his voice to normal, putting a paw to his chest in a dramatic pose, "Who me? Why madam, I scam folks out of money! Would you like to buy a pawpscicle?" He leaned back against the seat and grunted. "Obviously, it wasn't as simple as that," he said, "I did actually try a couple of times, but my heart wasn't really into it. Never was, I guess. That is, well, was, the problem."

Judy cocked an eyebrow. "I sense a story here," she said.

Nick groaned and leaned his head back and stared up. He took a big breath and puffed it out. "Well," he said, lowering his head back down, "If I'm going all full disclosure tonight... there was this one girl." His eyes taking on that distant stare again and a small grin spreading across his muzzle. "Svetlana…" he sucked in a breath and blew it out noisily. "I was what, sixteen? Seventeen?" he said, "I had dropped out of school way before this, but I still ran with some of my old friends."

He rubbed the underside of his muzzle with his free paw and narrowed his eyes in recollection. "She was an exchange student. She was a fox, too, but an arctic fox, and her fur was this crazy silver-white color I had never seen before. I fell for her the moment I saw her." The grin on his muzzle broadened and his eyes went distant. "I tell you what, Carrots," he said, "I'd never seen a more beautiful mammal in my life!"

Judy raised her eyebrows and cleared her throat. "Nick," she said in a flat tone, "I may be wrong here, but when a doe is dragging you back to your apartment, I doubt it's customary to drool over your ex-girlfriends."

Nick blinked and looked down at her. "Er, right, I suppose you have a point. But you asked, Fluff! Besides, I haven't gotten to the part where she dumped me and left me an emotional wreck, yet."

Judy's ears drooped. "Oh, uh, sorry," she said, "I was just teasing..."

Nick winked. "I know, Fluff, it's fine," he said then turned away, "now where was I..."

Judy was starting to get a pretty good feeling of where this was going. "Nick, you don't have to tell me-" she started but he cut her off.

"No, I do. If we're doing this," he said and paused, looking back down at her, "we are doing this, right? We didn't get mugged in the parking lot, and I'm not actually laying concussed back there?"

Judy snorted out a little giggle. "Do I need to pinch you?" she asked.

Nick held out his arm. "Would you?" he asked.

Judy laughed quietly but reached over with her other arm and give Nick a firm pinch.

"Ow!" Nick complained, "even your fingers are freakishly strong!"

Judy stuck her tongue out at him. "Wait until I pinch you with my toes."

"Okay, that's just weird, rabbit," Nick muttered.

Judy giggled and bumped her head against Nick's arm. "So, this gorgeous fox girl from your past...?

"Mmm," Nick hummed, "right, right." He inhaled deeply again. "Anyways, I fell for her hard. Dumb, stupid young love, you know?," he said, "Ugh, I was such a romantic back then. I thought she was the one. That, or it was all some kind of mystical destiny. She was beautiful, exotic, and she liked me. Or, well, I thought she did."

He paused and seemed to wrestle with something for a few moments. "Well, I guess she did. Just not in the way I wanted. It just… in the end, she played me like I played everybody else. I told her I loved her and would do anything for her and — and she just…" He paused and drew his lips back in a grimace, sucking in a breath between his teeth. "Ugh, gods, almost twenty years later, it still stings," he said, "But she just laughed at me."

Judy winced. "Ouch," she said. She was no expert at relationships by any stretch of the word, but you didn't need to be to understand that kind of hurt.

"Yeah," Nick said, grim and serious. He continued, "She obviously didn't know what she was doing. Most likely jumped in front of a train or something when she realized she'd let all of this," he said, dramatically gesturing down his body, "Slip through her fingers."

Judy rolled her eyes. "I'm sure," she said.

Nick chuckled softly. "But seriously, the day she was going to leave, I tried to stop her at the station and professed my love like some idiot," he said. He shook his head at the memory. He hadn't thought about all this in any detail in many years, and now that he was, he found it hard to believe the memories in his head were actually his. He wanted to reach back through time and smack his younger self.

"So, I asked her to stay here and not go back… to stay in with me in the wonder of Zootopia!" he continued said making a grand sweeping gesture with his free paw. "And," he continued, drawing the word out, "She laughed at me and said… oh, what did she say?" he asked himself and he tried to remember the exact words, as time had let them fade some in his memory. "Something like - oh Nick, you so cute and fun, but I could never stay with grubby little red fox like you."

"Ow," Judy said with another grimace, "That... okay, that is cold."

Nick chuckled. "Well, she was an arctic fox," he said then sighed as his right paw went back to up to rub the back of his neck again, "What really did me in was the contempt." He chuckled. "My ego did not take it well, at all."

He huffed and shook his head. He didn't want to get into details. "The point is, it colored my relationships for a while," he said and grinned, "I was sixteen, remember? Just had my heart broken. Everything sucks?"

Judy quirked an eyebrow at the expectant look was giving her, and thought about the question. The answer was almost obvious. She cocked her head at him. "You didn't…"

Nick started sniggering and nodded his head. "Turned into a total emo kid," he said.

Judy rolled her eyes. "Oh dear," she said, "wear all black? Dye your fur?"

Nick grinned and nodded. "All around my eyes," he replied and traced around his eyes with his fingers then dragged them down through his fur, "And all down here like black tears."

Judy put a paw over her muzzle and giggled. "Please tell me you have pictures."

"No," Nick said with emphasis, "not that I know of." He puffed his cheeks out, his eyes darting around unfocused as he got back on track. "Ugh, I'm rambling," he said, "Basically, I haven't, well, dated in a long time. When I did, it rarely ended well."

Judy raised an eyebrow. "So you're saying you suck at dating?"

"I suck at dating," Nick confirmed. He then ducked his head down to her. "This is a cue for you run away screaming, Carrots," he said in a conspiratorial whisper.

Judy let out a little laugh. "Well, I'm kind of the opposite," she said and cocked her head as she looked at him, "Would you believe I've never had a boyfriend?"

Nick's head jerked back. "Seriously?" he asked in surprise.

Judy nodded and raised her free paw, "Carrot Scouts honor." She shrugged her shoulders, "I just, well, you know how driven I am. I just never had time or desire, I guess." She puffed her cheeks out in a sigh, "Not that I didn't have plenty of opportunities. Gods know Billy Hopperson tried his best. Anyways, now I've made it. Here I am, living the dream I've had for as long as I can remember a-and I don't know if it's enough anymore." She looked up at him and smiled, "But with you, it just might be."

Nick looked at her for a long moment, his eyes fixed on hers.

"Excuse me?" A voice said. Both of them were too lost in each other to notice. There was an ahem, then the voice spoke again, a bit louder, "Excuse me, hey lovebirds!"

That caught Nick and Judy's attention, and both turned to the source of the voice.

They realized they had gotten an audience. The car was not packed, but it was certainly wasn't empty. Most of the passengers were wearing Gazelle merchandise or shirts. Nick and Judy hadn't been shouting, but anyone sitting nearby could have eavesdropped if they tried.

The insides of Judy's ears had started to heat up.

Judy and Nick were sitting on seats directly across from the doors, but in the first row of seats towards the back sat an elderly couple with their arms interlocked, and had been on the train when they had sat down.

The word 'octogenarian' came to Nick's mind.

One of the things that grabbed Judy's attention, though, was the fact that the male was a grizzled, old, gray wolf and the female was an equally gray and much smaller sheep. Judy blinked. The resemblance was superficial at best, but she still reminded Judy of Bellwether. The mirror they were was not lost on her either. _A wolf and a sheep, and a fox and a bunny,_ she thought.

It was the wolf who had spoken, and he was grinning from ear to ear. "You two are the first rabbit and fox cops, ain'tchya?" He asked in his distinctly city accent. "I remember seein' you two in the news. 'least that's what the wife here tells me."

"Uhh, yes sir, we are," Nick answered.

The little ewe leaned over and said to the wolf, "I told you so."

The wolf clucked his tongue and waved his free paw in a shushing gesture at the ewe before turning back to Nick and Judy. He eyed them intently for a long moment,

Judy began to feel her ears burn again.

The wolf turned his attention to Nick, "Ya love her?" he asked.

The bluntness question surprised them both.

Judy was sure the insides of her ears were turning a bright pink now, and Nick stammered for a moment as he looked down at Judy. Slowly, he regained his composure, and a slow smile spread on his muzzle.

Judy looked up at Nick and saw the look on his face. She'd seen it before in the debriefing room when Nick was certain he'd get under Bogo's skin, or when he'd slide over the hood of their cruiser while on patrol to impress her. The utter confidence Nick could exude made her heart swell, but also made her want to squirm in her seat.

Nick turned back to the old wolf. "Absolutely," Nick said slowly and with certainty.

The old wolf nodded with a grunt before turning to Judy, "And you love him?" he asked, nodding his head toward Nick.

Judy smiled up at Nick and nodded, "I do," she said, squeezing his paw in hers.

The wolf nodded again. "Good, that's important," he said, "But what's a more important question is... do ya like each other?"

The question took both Nick and Judy by surprise They looked at each other, puzzled, before looking back to the wolf, who chuckled at them.

"Ahh, kids," he said. He looked down to the ewe for a moment and smiled patting her on the knee, and the old ewe looked back up at with obvious love and affection. The wolf looked back up and continued.

"Take some advice from an old predator-prey couple," he said, "Love is a great, wonderful thing, but it ain't everything. Ya gotta like each other, because when this love you two are feelin'," he waggled a pointing finger back and forth at them, "Simmers for a while, you're gonna have to genuinely like each other. When that comes, and it will come, trust me, and you two find you still want to be around each other, foibles, faults and all, you're golden." He said this last with authority and a sweep of his paw as if smoothing something out.

Judy's eyes went unfocused as the comment did make her think. _Did she like Nick? Duh, what do you think genius,_ she thought, _If you didn't like him you wouldn't even be here._

However, she admitted that she didn't really know Nick as well as she'd like. There was still a lot about her partner, hidden under the cracks in his smug, too-cool armor, that she hadn't seen. She did like being around him, though. He was funny, charming, and under it all, he had a big heart.

Judy tried to be rational about the rush of events in the last 20 minutes, though. She knew what she was feeling, especially right now, was rush of hormones and desire. She was also aware that it was very likely clouding her judgment. _Do I care, though?_ she thought.

"Ahh," the old wolf said, waving a paw at them and smiling, "You'll figure it out."

Nick smiled and looked down to Judy. That look again. He pulled her paw up to his muzzle and kissed the back of it gently, the light touch standing the fur on her spine up.

"Yeah," he said, "Yeah, I think we will."

They sat for the rest of the trip in silence and holding paws, each of them lost in their own thoughts.

As the train pulled into their destination, Judy furrowed her brow and turned to Nick.

"Wait, you dropped out of school?" she exclaimed.

The old wolf laughed.

The tightness in Judy's chest increased as Nick unlocked the door to his apartment and stepped aside to let her pass. She walked in, looking around the dark interior with curiosity. This was one of the things about Nick she didn't have much knowledge of. While she knew where he lived, she had never been inside his apartment until now.

Nicked flipped a light switch and Judy's eyes widened.

She hadn't known what to expect, but she definitely didn't expect the place to look like it was out of some high-end furniture store display. She realized Nick hadn't been kidding when he said he'd been making $200 a day hustling. She had to wonder if that number was on the low end now.

The decor was warm, and the furniture dark and plush. Against one wall was a large, very expensive looking television that rivaled the monstrosity her father had mounted in the burrow's main hall a few years ago. Below the TV sat an entertainment center with an equally expensive looking receiver, complete with game console and sound system. The whole place made her feel embarrassed for the paper thin walled hovel she still lived in. In fact, she'd expected something similar, given the state of the neighborhood Nick lived in. The room was fairly large, however and the spacing gave the room a spartan feel regardless of the nice furniture.

"Huh…" she said as she slowly turned around, looking at everything, "I expected it to be smaller and messier."

"Gee, thanks," Nick said wryly, "You really know how to compliment a guy."

"How can you afford all this?" She asked in wonder.

Nick shrugged. "I can't," he said, "Not anymore anyways. Used to be able to when I was… um, pursuing perfectly legal freelance work, but on what we get paid now? Nah. The rent is still cheap, though." He closed and locked the door behind him. "Just because the neighborhood is old and run down doesn't mean the inside has to be."

Judy didn't say anything, nor did Nick.

Judy could feel the tension building in the air, like the feeling before a thunderstorm. They were here. This had been her idea, and now she was at a loss as what to do next. She swallowed hard; these were completely uncharted waters for her. Everything she knew about romance and dating came from novels or the TV. Her one experience ten years ago with Billy hardly counted, either.

She was facing away from Nick and found that she could not turn around. She eyed the stereo. It had a little dock on top of it, the kind that would fit her Ipawd. She fished in her pocket and pulled the little device out. She set it into the dock, which automatically turned the stereo system on. She hit the button on the receiver, then flipped the Ipawd screen and found the playlist she was looking for.

While she tended to listen to more modern pop stylings, she kept a few of her dad's favorite songs on hand, and pulled up a slow, acoustic western song. Gently, a minor G came through the speakers, and she started to sway her body with the music.

The song worked to heighten her own building feelings of need and urgency. The singer entered the song, crooning about obsession and love. She'd chosen it intentionally.

She felt Nick come up behind her, his arms hesitantly sliding down over her shoulders to her chest. She wrapped her arms around his, hugging them to her as she swayed her hips. She rubbed back against him lightly just as the chorus broke.

Nick pressed up against her and started to follow her movements.

Judy rubbed her head against one of Nick's arms as the pair moved in sync with one another.

She turned slowly around in his arms, looked up at him, and started to quietly sing along with the lyrics. She reached her small paw up to caress the side of Nick's muzzle. Although it had been a long time since she'd listened to the song, the lyrics had never left her. She turned her head and pressed it to his front, rubbing her cheek against him.

Nick lightly cupped her head against his front with one paw while his other slid down and pressed against her back. They moved slowly, dancing around the room. Nick had taken the lead, and Judy found it effortless to follow him.

Nick pushed Judy back some and tilted her head up with one paw and started to sing along with the song now himself, and the two found a home in the harmony they made together.

Judy smiled up at him and let out a choked little laugh. She brought a paw up to rub the tears that were building in the corners of her eyes.

"You like Chris Ibex too?" she asked, her voice a mixture of high emotion and laughter. Nick thought it was the kind of tone a mammal talked in when they didn't know if they wanted to laugh or cry.

"Carrots," he said, stroking her cheek,"I got every album they've ever put out… I've still got the ticket stub from the last time he was in Zootopia."

Judy giggled. "You know, my dad introduced me to him. I still kind of think he's oldies stuff."

Nick huffed, but maintained his grin. "Well, your dad has good taste then."

Judy groaned and pressed her forehead against his chest, her paws clenching and pulling him tighter. It suddenly struck her how… absurd the entire situation was. Here she was, a doe from small town whose greatest ambition was to go to the big city and be a cop, who grew up scared and distrustful of foxes, who somehow talked one crazy fox into being a cop, who helped that fox become her partner, and she was falling in love with him.

No, not falling in love, Judy thought, I think I'm already there.

And now they were dancing in his apartment less than an hour after he'd confessed to her. She choked out a laugh; the sound was brittle and threatened to break down into sobs.

Nick's paw rubbed her back gently.

"What's wrong?" he asked quietly.

"This is!" she said, sniffling loudly. She shrugged her shoulders and rubbed her eyes and nose with one paw again,"This is all crazy! You... me... this whole crazy city full of crazy animals... and..." she trailed off, unable find any more words.

Nick tipped her head up with a finger under her chin."I can't say you're wrong," he said, "If you had told me a year ago I would be standing here a bonafide police officer, and in love with a crazy rabbit girl from the country..." he trailed off and just chuckled. He shook his head as his eyes went distant for a second at the thought. He then focused his gaze back on her.

"Well, I don't know what I would have said, but I'm happy I got here," he finished.

His expression was different now, one Judy had not seen yet. She wondered what it was before it hit her. It was an expression of love. It was a look no one had directed her way before. Something snapped in her then, and she growled in a very un-rabbit like manner. She hopped up and wrapped her short but powerful legs around Nick's waist.

Nick blinked, eyes going wide as she leaned up and whispered hotly in his ear, "Bedroom... now." The tone demanded no argument.

"Yes, Officer Hopps," Nick breathed, his own voice now strained and husky as he pressed his muzzle into her neck fur. He walked backward, wrapping his arms around and carrying her as she clung to him.

Judy buried her muzzle in his neck, inhaling his scent and nibbling at his fur. She groaned and leaned back, pulling and tugging on his tie as he made his unsteady way down the hall with her, bumping and then rolling them against the wall.

Nick nibbled back down her neck, eliciting a groan from her as he gently bit the flesh between neck and shoulder.

Judy dropped the tie and then quickly pulled her shirt up and off, dropping that on the floor as well as they finally made it to the bedroom.


	3. Chapter 3 - A Bit More Than Bargained

Judy drifted between sleep and wakefulness with her body pressed up against Nick's side. She had wrapped herself around one of his arms, hugging it close to her while her cheek was pressed against his shoulder.

Nick lay on his back, soundly asleep and snoring lightly.

Judy's internal alarm was going off, however, and she cracked an eye open. Morning light filtered in through the window next to the bed; the warm and golden glow hadn't been deterred by the apartments and warehouses that surrounded Nick's apartment. She blinked and yawned. She shook Nick's arm lightly as she rubbed her cheek against him.

"Nick…" she said, her voice bleary with the last vestiges of what little sleep she had gotten, "Nick, wake up."

Nick inhaled deeply and swallowed. "Mmm?"

"What time is it?" Judy asked. She winced as she stretched one leg, vaguely wondering why it was sore.

Nick didn't react for several moments, but eventually opened his eyes and lifted his head to look over Judy at the bright digital clock on the night stand. He thumped his head back down and closed his eyes.

"Six," he started, but the words stretched out into a yawn, "Mmmph… twenty-five."

Judy made a little 'mmm' sound of her own as she snuggled against his arm then froze. Her eyes snapped open.

"6:25?" she said, her voice rising in panic. She shook Nick's arm hard, "Nick, get up! We have to go!"

Nick grunted and cracked one eye to look sidelong at her. "Why? We have over an hour. The station is only a ten-minute walk from here," he said muzzily and brought his other paw up to rub at his face.

"Bogo," Judy said flatly. "7:00 a.m. sharp, remember?"

Nick's paw stopped the rubbing motion. "Oh…"

Judy groaned in exasperation. "And I don't have my uniform!" she squeaked, her grip tightening on Nick.

"We didn't think this through very well, did we?" Nick said rhetorically.

Judy didn't comment. Instead she quickly sat up, but only made it halfway before her abdomen exploded in pain. She yelped; her paws flew to her belly as she flopped back down. Her stomach, sides, and rump hurt to touch even with her own paws.

"Ow, ow… oh my gods what did you do to me?" she whined. She choked out a dry sob as she tensed at the shooting pain in her lower body.

Nick, his one paw still over his eyes where it had stopped, lifted his other paw with one finger extended. "I did not do anything to you did not request... several times," he said.

Judy grunted and elbowed him, "If you had what I had in me last night, you'd be wincing, too. Now shut it and help me get up," she muttered.

Nick's ears perked and he turned his head to look at her.

"Wait, you really need help?" he asked. Judy swatted at him with a paw.

"Yehehehesss!" she cried. She tried to sit up again with one paw clutching at her stomach.

Nick shifted and winced himself, discovering he too was a bit sore, but he thought Judy seemed worse off by far. He leaned over and gently helped her up to sit on the edge of the bed. Nick's concern grew and when she panted a few times, rubbing at her belly.

"Do… do we need to take you to a doctor?" he asked earnestly as his mind started helpfully supplying him with possibilities that would make a hypochondriac proud. Or blush. Or both.

Judy slowly stood up with a grunt of pain. "No," she said, her voice strained, "I'm… just not used to having that... that thing jabbed in and out of me! It's too big!" Nick relaxed and settled back down, propping his muzzle up on a paw while he watched the very naked rabbit take a few tentative steps.

"Gotta say, being 'too big' is a new problem for me. Besides, I didn't hear you complaining last night. Just saying," he said and fished something orange out from under his pillow.

The noise of the pair's favorite carrot recorder pen rewinding filled the room. Judy froze as the tinny sound of her own voice replaced it and began to play.

"Oh gods, Nick, yes! Nnnguh! I can take it! Harder!"

Judy very slowly turned her head to Nick. Her mouth was open just enough for her to bare her buck teeth, and her pupils nearly vanished to pinpricks as she tried desperately to bore a hole through Nick's head with her eyes. Nick was no stranger to that look. In his experience, it usually said 'I am going to kill you!'

Nick had that, in Judy's opinion, equal parts infuriating and endearing smirk on this face. "I just wanted to see the look on your face one time," he said and thumbed the erase button.

Judy released the tension coiling inside her when she saw Nick hit erase. "You are incorrigible!" she said.

"I consider it one of my most charming character traits," Nick replied with a self-satisfied wink.

Judy rolled her eyes and turned back around and looked down at her panties and shorts in a pile on the floor.

Unfortunately, from Nick's point of view at least, bending over seemed to be out of the question at present.

Judy put a paw on the bed to steady herself, then gingerly started to try and pick up each item of clothing with her toes. Nick chuckled, and Judy made an irritated sound.

"Shut up... it isn't funny!" she snapped, but without much venom.

"Oh, I would beg to differ," Nick said, still ogling her bare rump and that cute little tail of hers.

"Ugh, just… shut up. Stop looking at my butt and get out of bed, we have to move," she grumbled.

Nick sighed and slid over to stand as well. He grimaced as he did, taking a few moments to stretch. He arched his back as he watched Judy manage to pick up the items with her toes without falling over and held them in her paws.

"Where is my shirt?" she asked, searching the floor.

"In the hall," Nick replied.

"Right… hall," Judy said and shuffled arthritically out the open bedroom door.

"Where's your bathroom?" she called a few seconds later.

Before Nick could answer Judy said, "Never mind…. I see it," and shuffled back into view as she made her way down the hall.

"Nicky, my boy," he said under his breath while walking over to pick up his neatly pressed uniform from where it hung on a hanger on the closet door handle, "You are one smooth operator."

* * *

Judy closed the door to the bathroom and looked around. She felt like she was entering some secret antechamber full of Nick. She was reminded of a conversation overheard in the locker room one day where Avanaco had said, 'You can tell a lot about guy on how he keeps his bathroom. You just gotta see it when he doesn't know you're coming over. If he knows yer comin' over it'll be all neat and spotless.'

Judy took a few steps in. The recalled conversation turned her eye critical.

Like the rest of the apartment, it was modern and overall fairly well-kept. While the living room had been all warm tones and dark furniture, the bathroom was all white, chrome, and modern. It certainly wasn't spotless and could use a good cleaning, but it wasn't filthy, either.

 _It just looks... lived in,_ Judy thought. Regardless, it was miles beyond the communal situation she grew up with, not to mention what passed for 'accommodations' at the Pangolin Arms. Her apartment complex wasn't dirty, though; if there was something Mrs. Armadillo was, it was fastidious, and the gods help those who didn't help keep things clean. Judy thought the restrooms there still looked like they hadn't been renovated in a hundred years.

 _Well_ , she thought as she looked around, _It could be worse._

She resisted the urge to snoop around some; she knew they didn't have time. She carried on with her own pressing business, groaning as she pulled herself up onto the toilet to relieve herself. She hissed quietly and gingerly rubbed her belly with a paw. She shifted her paw lower and winced. The subject of Nick's ministrations last night was extremely sore, and even peeing burned a little bit.

"What did you expect," she muttered to herself, "He's twice your size. Count yourself lucky you can still walk."

"What's that?" Nick called from the hall, apparently standing close by on the other side of the door.

"Nothing!" she replied a bit too quickly. Her ears started burning again, a trend Judy hoped would stop soon. Nick didn't respond. Instead, she heard him softly start whistling. Her ears burned even hotter when she realized it was the song from previous night.

She finished her business without managing to fall in, hopped down, and flushed. Her muscles were loosening up, but the omnipresent aches refused to budge. She hadn't been this sore since after her first muscle failure PT at the academy, and she figured this was even worse than that. Everything from her stomach down throbbed with every heartbeat. If she hadn't known any better, she would have thought she'd been hit by a truck. _A soft, russet, and warm truck,_ she thought fondly. As beat up and tired as she felt, she had to concede the soreness wasn't all bad. Painful and aching, but a part of her deep down felt good.

She looked longingly at the shower, but knew she had no time for that. Instead, she started getting dressed as quickly as she could.

Once clothed, she looked down at herself and sighed. Her shirt and shorts were beyond rumpled. She tried without much luck to smooth them out as best she could, then looked to the sink. Her ears fell. She could just see over the lip of the backsplash, her tired, sunken eyes eyes staring back at her in the mirror. She looked around and spied a small trash can to the side of the sink, the kind with chrome top that flipped up when you stepped on a pedal. She grabbed it and dragged it around to the front to use as a makeshift platform to stand on.

"You need a stepstool in here!" she called out through the door.

"Duly noted," Nick called back, "Does this mean you'll be over here often then?"

Judy paused one foot on the top of the trash can. That giddy tingle in her chest and stomach from the previous night returned.

"Do you want me to be?" she asked.

"Absolutely," Nick replied with emphasis and without any hesitation.

Judy smiled as that giddy warmth spread through her entire body. She stepped up on top of the can with a pained grunt. The small trash can wasn't made to support any weight, and she threw her arms went out as she nearly toppled onto the floor. The combination of her sore body and improvised should-not-be-used-as-a-stool trash can nearly causing her to land face first on the tile, but she caught the edge of the sink and steadied herself. She sighed.

Now able to see herself in the mirror her ears drooped. Her fur was a ruffled mess. She reached in and turned on the water, let it get as hot as she could bear, and leaned in. She splashed herself several times before turning the faucet off, rubbing her face vigorously before starting to smooth it out her fur when Nick spoke up from the other side of the door.

"What are you, er, we, going to do about your uniform?" he asked.

Judy had already been thinking about this in the back of her mind. She picked up a brush, loaded with fox fur, that lay on the back side of the sink and used it to brush her head, neck, and arms as quickly as she could.

"There's no way to get to my place and to the station in time," she said, trying to pat down a particularly stubborn patch of fur on her cheek, "But my dress blues are in my locker."

"Oh," Nick said dryly, "that won't look strange at all."

Judy rolled her eyes and set the brush down; her fur was as good as she was going to get it. She hopped down with another wince and stepped over to whip open the door.

Nick was lounging against the wall idly whistling and swinging his uniform from a hangar, which Judy noticed was pressed and crisp. Nick was also quite naked, but after last night, it hardly fazed her.

"Do you have a better idea?" she snapped as she marched by him.

Nick pushed himself off the wall and moved into the bathroom.

"Nope!" he said. A familiar smirk adorned his muzzle as he closed the door.

"Foxes." Judy huffed.

* * *

Nick closed the bathroom door behind himself and hung his uniform on the hook mounted on its back. He answered his own pressing call to nature and stepped up to the sink, sliding the trash can out of the way with his foot. He took a deep breath, exhaled, and examined himself in the mirror. He didn't look any better than Judy had; his fur was mussed and stuck out at odd angles. He picked up his brush, but paused as he brought it up. A grin crept across his face as he noticed the small gray furs caught in the bristles. He started to brush himself down with more urgency than he'd allowed himself to show Judy. He hated to admit it, but he didn't want to be late, either.

Brushing his fur with the brush Judy just used sent a thrill through him that he couldn't quite place. _What is going on with me?_ he wondered. He lifted his muzzle up to straighten out his neck fur with middling results.

A strangeness about the situation he was in started to overwhelm him. An odd self-awareness had been seemingly omnipresent for him in the last few weeks, like a fog — the near panic attack last night in the parking lot was so out of the ordinary it almost seemed like it had happened to someone else. It was like he had been a passenger, watching events unfold through someone else's eyes.

 _Happy_ , he thought, _I'm happy._ The realization stopped his arm as he smoothed out his chest fur. He looked at himself in the mirror for a long few seconds. For the first time in years he was happy deep down. Almost deliriously so. He was jolted from his musing by a pounding on the door.

"Nick!" Judy called, "Hurry up! We don't have much time!"

Nick blinked and shook himself.

"Right… right!" he said and tossed the brush into the sink. He grabbed his uniform off the hangar and quickly started to dress, opening the door once he began to shrug on his blue button-down shirt.

Judy stood there, hands on hips and one of her large feet tap tapping the floor. "Oh, for crying out loud," she sighed and stepped forward, grabbing his shirt to straighten it.

"Hey!" Nick said trying to fend her off, "I'm a big boy you know, I can dress myself!"

"Shush," she grumbled, batting his paws away. "You're as bad as my father…" She deftly started to button up his shirt.

Nick sighed and held his arms out, paws up.

Judy briefly turned her eyes up at him and huffed, looking back down. "And you males complain about how long us girls take in the bathroom." She tugged his collar couple of times until it looked right, then grabbed the tie hanging loosely around his neck. Judy's fingers flew, and Nick jerked his head back as one end of the tie went flying and smacked him across the muzzle.

"Ow!" he complained, and Judy shushed him again.

"Don't be a baby, it's just a tie," she said as she got the knot just so. She slid it up and snugged it tight, taking a moment to ensure she wasn't choking him . She pulled and tweaked with practiced fingers, stepped back, and gave him a quick once over. "Good enough. Tuck your shirt in and let's go!" she said. She fished her phone out of her pocket and looked down at it and let out a groan. "We got fifteen minutes!" she said and hurried for the door with Nick right behind her.

Nick's estimate that it was a 'ten-minute walk' had not been entirely accurate. They had started to jog or tried to until it became rapidly apparent that Judy was in no condition to jog at any pace. She might have been if they could spend time stretching, but that wasn't an option. Judy's head as on a swivel and noticed a passing cab, which she managed to flag down.

The cabbie, a slightly disheveled older lion, did a double take as he looked in his rearview mirror.

"Oh! It's you two!" he said and chuckled. "Didn't think I'd get the pair of you as a fare today."

Nick blinked at his choice of words, but Judy was oblivious.

"Yup! It's us! The heroes of Zootopia!" Judy said in that bubbly-but-slightly-flattering tone she got when she was in a hurry. She assumed his comment was referencing their notoriety from the missing mammals case; she was recognized regularly while on patrol. Even Nick had had started garnering attention yesterday while on patrol. "Now, if you would please get us to the ZPD headquarters building as fast as possible, that would be just great."

The lion smiled and did a quick mock salute with two fingers.

"You got it, kiddo," he said. Nick could have sworn the lion had floored it, and both he and Judy were pushed back against the seat from the sudden acceleration. Judy was about to request he keep the speeding to a minimum, but a look at the clock on the center dash sealed her lips as the lion darted through traffic.

His frantic, and in Judy's opinion borderline illegal, pace managed to get them to the station with five minutes to spare. Judy opened the door of the cab and hopped out before it even stopped, hustling towards the entrance of the building.

Nick rolled his eyes. "I guess I'm paying," he muttered and pulled out his wallet. He fished out a ten dollar bill that was easily worth three times the cost of the trip, and tossed it to the cabbie over the seat. "Keep the change!" he said and hurried after Judy.

"Hey! Thanks, buddy! And good luck to you kids!" the cabbie said and drove off.

Nick stopped. He looked back and tracked the cab as it drove away. _What was that supposed to mean? Good luck for what?_ Nick wondered. He shook himself and turned to speed after Judy.

Judy reached the doors ahead of Nick and looked at her phone again obsessively for the hundredth time just as the automatic revolving door turned. She barely sidestepped Sergeant Howlowitz from criminal investigation who was coming out the other way.

"Sorry! Excuse me! Big hurry here!" she said, completely missing the rather amused look the big wolf gave her.

However, the look was not lost on Nick.

Howlowitz chuckled as he spied Nick a few paces behind Judy, cocked a finger gun at him and 'shot' him with a click of his tongue.

Between that, the wolf's look at Judy, and the bizarre comments from the cabbie, Nick was starting to feel an unease building in his stomach. He trotted up behind Judy and they shuffled through the rotating door together.

Judy was quickly marching towards the locker rooms and turned to look at Nick while walking backward.

"You go up and wait for me. I got just enough time-" Her words trailed off as she saw Nick. He had stopped a few paces beyond the door, his ears splayed out, and staring wide-eyed past her.

"Oh boy…" Nick said.

Judy slowly turned back around, starting to notice the silence that was slowly falling. Outside of a few civilians, the main hall had upwards of twenty officers going to and fro or standing in twos or threes talking. As soon as she and Nick came through the main doors, all of them were now looking at her and Nick. Some grinned, others rolled their eyes, but not one officer was doing anything other than openly staring at them. One group of six or seven congregated around Clawhauser at the front desk.

"Wooooo!" someone hooted.

"Hey, Hopps! Where's yer uniform?" another one called from somewhere. Bemused laughter echoed through the hall.

Judy's ears fell, and embarrassment at the sudden scrutiny surged through her, "They… all know?" she squeaked.

"Uhh… Carrots..." Nick said from behind her, his voice containing uncustomary concern.

Judy turned. Nick had picked up a newspaper lying on a nearby bench. Judging by the grimace on his muzzle, she she was sure she wasn't going to like whatever it was.

Nick looked up at her, slowly turning it around, "It's a bit worse than that…"

It was Saturday and the weekend papers always came with a few special interest inserts. She recognized this one as the weekly gossip and entertainment section. On the front, in shiny, high-resolution detail, was a close-up picture. It was surrounded by a vignette in the shape of a heart and featured Nick and Judy kissing in the parking lot last night. The title shouted out in big white letters:

"Love is in the Air! Are Zootopia's First Rabbit and Fox Police Officers an Item?"

Judy's muzzle slowly opened in abject horror. She dropped her head into her paws, "Oh sweet cheese and crackers," she breathed.

The hall erupted in more laughter, hoots, and howls. Hooves and paws pounded on Clawhauser's desk.

From the mezzanine balcony a deep, baritone voice cut over the commotion.

"Hopps! Wilde! My Office, now!"


	4. Chapter 4 - Chief Bogo

Judy raised her head from her paws and tried to compose herself. She took a deep breath, counted to five, and exhaled slowly. "Ok," she said and started off to towards the elevators, "Let's get this over with."

Nick followed her silently. He was too busy examining the front of the insert. "Gotta admit, Carrots," Nick said eventually, "It is a good picture."

Judy grunted with irritation. Her gaze was drawn to the group of officers milling around the front desk. She slowed her pace and narrowed her eyes. Her nose wiggled, and she cocked one ear, "Pay up, McHorn. Daddy needs a new box of donuts!" she caught an extremely gleeful Clawhauser whispering.

"What are they doing?" she asked, looking from one figure to the next. She pointedly ignored the circumspect looks directed her and Nick's way, pretending not to her the few remaining sniggers and chuckles. She saw a few bills exchanged between paws.

Nick looked over briefly then back to the insert. "Betting on us," he said casually.

Judy's head whipped to Nick. "What!" she cried then turned her head back to the group, "Betting on us?"

"Yup," Nick said. He licked a fingerpad and turned a page.

Judy threw her arms up. "How can you be so... so blasé! Doesn't it bother you?" she hissed in a whisper.

Nick hummed and turned another page. "Nope, it's what I would have done," he said, "Although, I admit the entire city seeing us playing kissy face is not something I would put on my bucket list. Oh, look, there's more!" Nick leaned over, turning the open insert to Judy to show her the page with the story about them. There were two more pictures. The first picture showed Judy pulling Nick by his tie, while the other was of them walking off together.

Judy groaned and looked down at the beginning of the article, then snapped her eyes away. She knew she had to focus on their meeting with the chief, so her wanton curiosity would have to wait. She grabbed her drooping ears and pulled on them.

"Could this day possibly get any worse?" she whined. As though some unknown deity heard her question and took it as a challenge, the phone in her pocket began to ring with the jingle she had assigned to her parents. "You have got to be kidding," she sighed, and let her ears go so she could stuff a paw in her pocket to fish the device out.

"And think," Nick said, closing the insert and starting to roll it up just as they were arriving at the elevators, "It's only 7 a.m.!"

Judy shot him a glare as she got her phone out and looked down at it. Sure enough, it was her parents. She raised a finger to tap the answer icon when the phone abruptly made the little tinkling tune of it shutting down from lack of charge. The screen went black. Judy's shoulders slumped, and her expression became blank and resigned. She stuffed the phone back into her pocket.

Nick gave her a sidelong glance, smirking. "Let me get that," he said reaching up to press the call button on the elevator when Judy just stood there and made no move to push the button herself. There was an immediate ding, the up arrow mounted on the wall next to the elevator they stood in front of turned green, and the brushed steel doors slid smoothly open.

Judy walked in, stopped in the center of the elevator, and turned around numbly as if she were in a trance.

Nick entered behind her and reached up to press the 'M2' button before taking position beside her.

The doors closed, and there was a quiet hiss as the hydraulic piston that lifted the elevator engaged.

Judy looked at their heavily distorted reflection in the brushed metal and idly wondered if her parents knew, too. They religiously read the Zootopia Times, although it didn't usually arrive in Bunnyburrow until sometime around nine or ten in the morning. She had no other explanation as to why else they would be calling this early. She also found it hard to drum up much energy to care right now.

Nick looked down at her, gauging her mood. "Relax," he said, "Everything will be fine."

Judy looked up at him with a sour expression. "Fine? How can it be fine?" she demanded. She'd subconsciously balled her paws into fists. "All our coworkers laughing… this is humiliating! And who knows what book the chief is going to throw at us!"

Nick arched an eyebrow.

The elevator beeped as it passed the level one mezzanine.

"Is that what you think? Listen, they're not laughing at us, Carrots," Nick said with an easy smile, "they're laughing with us."

Judy rolled her eyes at the cliché saying.

"That doesn't even make sense, Nick," Judy said in a tired voice and stared back at the elevator doors, "and do you see me laughing?"

Nick shrugged. "Okay, so that was a bad metaphor, but I'm serious," he said.

"That wasn't a metaphor," Judy said, still looking forward.

"What?" Nick said, puzzled.

"That wasn't a metaphor," Judy said again.

Nick sighed, "Okay fine, " he said, "analogy then."

"It wasn't an analogy, either," Judy said, voice still flat and her gaze forward.

Nick made a frustrated grunt. "The point is, I'm betting they're happy for us. If we were really going to get in big trouble, then the tone down there would have been a lot different."

There was another cheerful ding as they reached the second level. The doors slid open, but Judy paused to think about what Nick just said. She blinked and walked out just as the doors started to close, triggering the automatic sensors and jerking them open again.

They turned, beginning the long walk around the circular balcony towards Chief Bogo's office. Behind her, Judy heard the elevator door closing like it was her last option for escape before meeting her fate.

Nick kept pace beside her and continued. "Everybody likes you, Carrots," he said, "Not only that, but they respect you, too. Don't you see the way everybody treats you around here? I've only been here what, a day? Even I can see that a lot of the others look up to you as a model cop." Nick paused, "Er, not up, exactly… but, well, you know what I mean." He chuckled. "Did you know you're a legend at the academy?"

Judy perked her ears up and gave Nick and incredulous look.

"What?"

"It's true!" Nick said, "The Major held up a picture of you and gave a little speech my first day."

Judy rolled her eyes, "Get out of here," she said. Her attempts at staying insistently worried were betrayed by the pride in her voice.

Nick held up two fingers. "Scouts honor, Fluff," he said, "I would never lie to you."

Judy struggled and failed to conceal a smile building on her muzzle. She chewed on her bottom lip for a moment.

"What did she say?" she finally asked, now curious.

Nick looked thoughtful for a moment.

"It went something like," he started, pausing to recall it properly. He cleared his throat and spoke in a falsetto. "Do you see this? This little carrot-farming ball of fluff came in here and kicked every kind of tail there is to kick in this academy! She set the bar so high you sorry sacks of fur will need a ladder to reach it!"

The stress Judy had balled up inside her since waking up was released in a cacophony of giggles. Nick couldn't do the voice well, but he had the big polar bear instructor's cadence down pat. If he worked on it, she thought he could be a dead ringer for her.

"Huh," Judy said, her voice still sputtering a bit from leftover laughter, "That… that is pretty cool." The new revelation soothed the sting of embarrassment she'd felt walking through the precinct.

A sound caught Judy's attention, and her ear cocked automatically. They were about halfway around the balcony, and through the chief's open door, she could just hear him talking to someone. At first, she thought it was some other officer in the office with him. She stopped, and a growing dread began welling up at the placating tone of the chief's voice.

Nick took a couple of more steps before stopping and turning back to her. "What?" he asked.

"Shhh!" Judy hissed, holding up a paw. She strained to hear, and it became clear that the conversation was one sided.

"No… no, Mister and Missus Hopps. I assure you Judy is just fine. She just arrived at the station. Yes. Yes. In fact, she's on her way to my office right now for a meeting."

Judy's eyes went wide in disbelief. "Oh, no… no, no, no!" Judy said. Sore muscles forgotten, she dashed forward and raced around the rest of the balcony towards the open door of Chief Bogo's office.

"What is it? Fluff, answer me! " Nick exclaimed, scurrying after her.

Judy arrived at the doorway in a slide and grabbed the door frame, but the inertia swung her half into the room. Nick sped up behind her but started to stop too late and piled into her causing the both of them to stumble all the way into the office.

Chief Bogo sat in his chair, phone raised to his head. His piercing gaze snapped to the both of them.

"No... no, Mister Hopps," he said in a calm tone that did not match the heat in his glare, "I assure you, Officer Wilde did not eat your daughter."

Nick raised a paw behind Judy.

"Eh, depends on your definition of eating," he quipped.

Judy put her small paws over her eyes.

"Oh good gods, Nick. Shut up," she said, exasperated.

Chief Bogo's gaze slowly focused on Nick as he spoke into the phone again, his unnerving stare not leaving Nick's' eyes.

Nick gave a big smarmy, toothy grin back.

"Yes sir, that was Officer Wilde… I believe he was trying to be funny," the Chief said, glare never leaving Nick.

Nick gulped, and the grin didn't so much as vanish as it fell away in pieces.

"I, uh, shouldn't have said that," he whispered out of the side of his muzzle, "I definitely should not have said that.".

"You think?" Judy hissed back at him.

"I agree sir, it was not funny, but Judy is here now. Would you like to speak to her?" Bogo said into the phone, his tone all honey, "Certainly… here she is." Chief Bogo pulled the corded receiver and held it down next to his desk.

Judy darted forward and reached for the phone, but the Chief didn't seem inclined to let it go and just glared down at her as he held it at her level.

"Ah, heh.." she uttered and gulped. She gave a strained little smile up at the towering bulk of the buffalo. The receiver was large for her size; Judy had to hold it with both paws, and she balanced it uncomfortably next to her. Like so many things in the building, it was not designed with mammals her size in mind. She sighed and just pressed an ear to the earpiece.

"Mom, Dad! Hi!" Judy said with forced cheerfulness.

"Oh Judy!" her mother's relieved voice said from the small speaker, "You had us so worried! When you didn't answer the phone…" Her father then interrupted.

"Your Uncle Benny called and said a fox had gone savage and attacked you!"

Judy rolled her eyes. _Uncle Benny… that explains a lot_ , she thought. She'd completely forgotten her semi-deranged uncle lived in the Zootopia suburbs.

"He said it was in the newspaper and everything!" her mother said.

"C'mon, you guys! Uncle Benny is a few carrots short of a bunch," she said in a placating tone, "You know how he tends to… exaggerate! Look, the battery in my phone is dead; that's why I didn't answer. I'll call you later today once I get it charged, ok?" She started to hear her mother respond but the Chief jerked the phone away and back up to himself.

"I am terribly sorry to interrupt Mister and Missus Hopps, but I need to discuss a very important issue with your daughter. As she said, she will call you later, good day." The Chief set the phone down carefully in one smooth motion. That quiet 'click' was somehow louder than if he had slammed it down. He held his hoof-fingered hand on the receiver for a long moment stared at stared at something in the corner of his office.

"Officer Hopps," Bogo said slowly, "Would you care to tell me how your parents have my direct extension?"

Judy had already been wondering that herself. "I have no idea, sir! Honest!" she said. Her ears burned in embarrassment. She recalled the time her parents had berated her high school principal after she got hurt at softball practice, but this was 100 times worse.

Bogo let the phone go and turned his gaze to look down at them. He grunted and pointed at the large chair positioned in front of his desk.

"Wilde, shut the door, and both of you Sit. Down." Chief Bogo said, his voice crisp with barely restrained anger.

Judy made her way over to the seat while Nick shut the door before hurrying over.

The chair was designed for mammals much larger than either of them. Nick managed to hop up easily enough, but Judy had a harder time of it. Usually, she would just hop up herself without a problem. She crouched to leap up, but her abused muscles reasserted their presence with extreme prejudice. Instead, she slowly stood back up and pulled herself up with her arms which were more functional than her lower body. She slowly settled herself down to sit next to Nick with room to spare on either side of them.

Bogo watched her and slowly raised an eyebrow. "Hopps, are you feeling okay? You're moving like you're injured," he asked.

Judy's mind went blank for a moment, and the insides of her ears turned pink yet again. "Just, er, sore sir. I... took a fall after the concert last night. Just wasn't looking where I was going," she said, wincing. It sounded lame even before the words left her muzzle.

Nick's muzzle, not taking his own advice from just moments before, decided that was a good time to dig the hole deeper.

"It's true, sir," he said. His voice was saccharine, like he wanted it to be as insincerely sincere as possible. He'd practiced the tone often back in high school when he felt like getting a few more days of detention. "Was just terrible," Nick continued, placing a paw over his chest, "Luckily, I was there to help Officer Hopps up. Several times, I might add. She was just a klutz all night long. "

Judy let out a disgusted groan, hung her head, and let her shoulders fall slump.

Chief Bogo's tree trunk neck swiveled. He locked his gaze on Nick and his expression turned suddenly mild. Almost friendly.

Judy looked up and wasn't fooled.

Nick didn't catch on what was about to come, but he easily sensed the sudden switch of attitude was not genuine. His ears slowly fell, and he swallowed.

"Officer Wilde," Bogo said, suddenly smiling warmly, "How long have you been a police officer?"

"Um, two days, sir?" Nick said, his voice wary, "Uh, not counting today."

"Do you want to make it to three?" Bogo asked, the calm tone belying the anger boiling just under the surface.

"Yes sir...?" Nick said, his voice quiet, ears splayed out.

Judy clenched her jaw and squeezed her eyes tight as her shoulders unconsciously hunched. _Here it comes,_ she thought.

"Then," Chief Bogo began. His nostrils flared, and Nick could swear he saw a vein pop on the buffalo's forehead. Bogo slammed a fist down on his desk, causing the contents on top of it, along with Nick, to jump and inch into the air, "Shut your mouth! "

Nick sat up straight to attention, back ramrod straight, eyes forward, and arms stiffly at his sides. "Sir, yes sir!" Nick barked out, his paw noisily crunching the rolled up insert he still held.

Bogo sat back, his chair creaking, and took in a deep breath. He brought a hand up to rub his rough hoof-tipped fingers on the bridge of his muzzle between his eyes. He let the breath out in a long sigh.

"Well, once again you two have put yourselves," he said and leaned his chair forward and flipped a copy of the insert up to show the picture of Nick and Judy kissing the night before continuing, "and the ZPD, in the spotlight." He smacked the insert back down onto his desk and glared at the both of them, "Oh, and by the way, it's spreading like wildfire online, if Officer Clawhauser is to be believed."

Judy groaned inwardly. She had not even thought about that. As if the paper isn't bad enough. Not everybody read the paper in this day and age, let alone the inserts, but the internet was a different story.

"I'm sorry sir… we didn't mean to cause the department, or you," she gave a cringing little nod and looked to the Chief's desk phone, "Any trouble."

"Oh, you haven't caused any trouble Officer Hopps. Well, not the department anyway," Bogo said with a smile and voice all honey while at the same time still giving Judy a sharp glare. "However, in the three hours since the early edition of the Times hit the street, this has become a political shitstorm."

Judy and Nick both blinked and looked at each other then back to Bogo.

"W-what?" Judy asked, confused.

Bogo sat up in his chair and rested his tree-trunk arms on this desk and clasped his hands together.

"Oh yes," Bogo said as he looked back and forth between them, "The mayor's office and city council are thrilled. At 7 a.m. on a Saturday morning. Do you two understand the significance of that?"

"Um," Judy said and looked at Nick, puzzled.

Nick understood though. "Think about it, Carrots," he said, "A city government official getting up early on a weekend? Outside of, you know, us? The mayor probably doesn't do anything before his 10 a.m. coffee.? "

"Ah," Judy said. In retrospect the Mayor and the council spun up this early on a weekend was rather impressive.

"Carrots?" Bogo asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"Oh, um," Judy said and cleared her throat, "That's just Nick's nickname for me."

Bogo turned his gaze on Nick with both eyebrows going up.

Nick gave a big toothy, fake grin, but didn't say anything.

Bogo closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. "As I was saying," he said and opened his eyes, "You two are now the darlings of Zootopia! Solvers of the missing mammals! A little rabbit and fox, top students at the academy, first of their species to be police officers, and now apparently in an interspecies predator-prey relationship." He pantomimed headlines across the room. The grimace on his muzzle showed through the veneer of civility he was trying to put on. "They can't fall over each other fast enough to try taking credit. Regardless of where it came from, the Mammal Inclusion Initiative is still active and has proved wildly popular with the citizenry… and guess who the new poster children are?"

Judy's face went blank, "We... are?" she said, her voice rising in question.

"Correct," Bogo said, "I should suspend the both of you and-"

Judy's eyes went wide, "But sir! We-" she interrupted, but Bogo cut her off.

"Shut it, Hopps!" Bogo snapped, glaring at her, "As I was about to say… suspend you both and assign you to new partners."

Judy's heart skipped. She didn't want another partner, but she also knew that her feelings about that were now part of the problem, too.

Bogo ground his teeth together. "But unfortunately, and I do mean unfortunately, things have changed. I had a… shall we say, lively discussion with the Mayor before you arrived. Both he and you have put me in a difficult position." He looked back and forth at them again. "I do assume you two attended, and were awake, for the lecture on fraternization at the Academy?"

Judy dropped her gaze.

"Yes, sir," she said. Nick remained quiet.

Bogo snorted. "Then perhaps one of you would care to tell me why fraternization is a problem in the workplace, especially on a police force, and even more specifically between partners?" Bogo asked.

Judy didn't look up. She took a breath and clasped her paws together, beginning to speak in a monotone voice.

"Potential problems would include, but aren't limited to, sexual harassment allegations, EMEOC complaints, and the enormous difficulty and strain of continuing a professional relationship with a current, former or now defunct, love interest," she paused to draw in another breath, "In addition officer judgement, especially in respect to direct partners, can be clouded leading to dangerous, and sometimes life-threatening situations, causing delays in reaction, incorrect threat assessment and or inattention to imminent or potential threats."

Nick looked at Judy with a cocked eyebrow as she recited the passage verbatim from the class workbook.

Chief Bogo seemed surprised as well and arched his eyebrows at the rote recitation.

"Very good, Hopps," Bogo said, "It's a shame it didn't seem to sink in."

"But, sir!" Judy started again, and Bogo held up a hand.

"I gave you a rope and you, both of you, collectively hung yourselves with it!" He said, his voice rising towards the end. "Based on your performance and past professionalism, if you had shown up here, on time, bright eyed and ready to hit the streets, I was going to let you off with a much briefer lecture and a warning. Instead, you show up effectively late-"

Judy raised a finger to contest that point, but Bogo didn't give her a chance to speak.

"And out of uniform, in your case, Hopps. Speaking of which, where is your uniform?"

Judy's mind raced… tell the truth or not… or perhaps bend it a bit?

"In my locker sir," she said after a brief hesitation.

Bogo narrowed his eyes at her. "Don't lie to me Hopps!" he yelled, "This is another example of what I'm talking about! I saw you leave yesterday in uniform. Are you telling me you have a second complete set of equipment and clothes stored here?"

"She's not lying, sir," Nick said helpfully, "She was going to put on her dress blues."

Judy's muzzle dropped open and she stared at Nick with a look of betrayal.

"Thanks a lot, partner!" she snapped. Nick smiled ever so slightly. A bit of smug slyness crept back onto his muzzle as he gave her a wink.

"I'm just saving you from yourself, Carrots, and I've always said honesty is the best policy," he explained.

Judy's muzzle dropped open again. The sheer ridiculousness and audacity of that last statement coming out of his muzzle left her at a loss for words.

"Are you two quite finished?" Bogo asked in a voice burdened by the demand for stoicism. Judy dropped her head and slumped in the seat. She seemed to be doing a lot of that, she noted.

"Yes, sir," she murmured.

"I'm disappointed in you, Hopps," Bogo said, "I expected you, of all officers, to be professional about this, but it seems I was wrong."

"I'm sorry, sir," Judy said, defeat in her voice.

Bogo turned his attention to Nick.

"And you, Officer Wilde," he said, "I do not yet know you well enough, but this is as much your fault as hers."

"Yes, sir," Nick said, finally looking and sounding a bit more conciliatory as well.

"What you two do with each other when off duty is none of my or the ZPD's business," Bogo continued, "But when it impacts your ability to do your job, you become a danger to yourself and others? That is when it becomes my business! What I have seen this morning does not fill me with confidence."

He said this last with the sharp tap of a hoofed finger on this desk. He leaned back in his chair again and stared at them for a long moment. "As Chief, I have leeway on how and when to enforce department policy regarding fraternization. This is also not the first time this kind of situation has come up. Normally I would suspend you for two weeks, but unofficially and with pay, and reassign you to different partners."

This perked Nick's ears some… with pay?

"Not as a punishment," Bogo said, "Affairs of the heart are not something you can bargain with or turn on and off like a light switch, and I'm not as cold or heartless as some of your fellow officers may claim. I am not going to lose good officers or generate enmity by being inflexible about things that are a part of life, but I am also not going to put those in a relationship together on the street. It compromises you both."

Bogo focused on Judy, "You're a good officer, Hopps, a bloody good one," he said then switched his gaze to Nick, "And Wilde, you have potential." Bogo was silent for a moment and gazed at the two, Judy and Nick's gazes downcast, neither willing to meet his disappointed gaze.

"As for the suspension, it would have given you two time to burn off some off this initial… energy you two may have going on right now, but," Bogo waved a hand at the insert still resting on his desk, "Because of what that has stirred up, the plan has changed."

"Sir?" Judy said.

Chief Bogo rubbed his face with a hoof.

"You two are now assigned to a special Mammal Inclusion Initiative task force for the next two weeks," Bogo said, "As I said, I had a discussion with the mayor this morning, and we came to a compromise. Your job for the next two weeks is to be seen together as much as possible. Two weeks should be plenty of time for the news cycle to move on and give the Mayor and Council what they want."

"What?" Judy asked, baffled, "Seen? How sir?"

Bogo sat up and picked up his reading glasses, perching them on his muzzle. He picked up a small notepad on his desk and looked down at it.

"For the next week you are off any official duty, which means no uniforms," he said and flipped the pad to the next page then back to the first, "You are to be seen in areas of high pedestrian traffic together. Where you're seen is your choice."

Judy and Nick looked at each other in disbelief as Bogo set the pad down, took his glasses off, and looked back to them.

"You will be provided with a one hundred dollar a day per diem, each, to spend on meals and entertainment," he said, "You will also be provided with pre-paid debit cards, which the mayor has assured me will arrive by the end of the day. You will be expected to keep receipts and put in an expense report at the end of the week. You will report back to regular duty a week from this Monday, and for the rest of that week, you will be on foot patrol in and around various city focal points yet to be determined. Are there any questions?"

"I have one sir," Nick said holding a paw up, "You're telling me that we are going on a forced, paid vacation so we can… date? And the department is going to pay for... for what? Dinner and movies?"

"Dinner, lunch, breakfast, opera, cotton candy at the carnival, I don't care," Bogo said, "The only stipulation is that they are public places, so no sitting at home ordering pizza. And the department isn't paying, the city is. It's coming out of the new Mammal Inclusion Initiative budget."

Judy thought a moment. Several days of being paid to be functionally off-duty didn't sit well with her. After the missing mammals case, she was eager to get out on patrol with Nick to see what they could do together. "Sir, I can't help but feel this is all highly unusual, and a... very inappropriate use of public funds and resources," she said.

Bogo turned his unnerving stare to her. "Inappropriate is not the word I would use, Hopps," he said. The strain in his voice was unmistakeable "I prefer the word ludicrous, but this is now a political issue. All in all, everybody wins. I get you off the street so you can go stare googly eyes at each other somewhere else for a while, you get to go stare googly eyes at each other somewhere else for a while, and the Mayor and City Council get more good PR. Believe me, Hopps, they are still scratching for every bit of that they can to help repair the damage Lionheart and Bellwether caused."

"Sir, we are not... staring googly eyes at each other!" Judy protested.

Bogo picked up the insert to show them the picture again. "Oh, really?" he said, "Tell me, Officer Hopps, what did you do last night? What time did you actually get to sleep? You do not look well rested. What do you plan to do tonight?"

Judy's ears burned as she looked at the insert Bogo held up but saw other images flashing in her mind. This morning had been such a rushed blur she hadn't thought of anything beyond making it to this meeting, but now that the questions were asked, she found herself unable to answer with any certainty.

"I, uh, we… I mean, we won't be-" Judy stammered, squirming under the scrutiny.

"I rest my case," Bogo said and tossed the insert down.

"But sir," Judy said, searching for a flaw, "What if it gets out that it's all a PR stunt paid for by the city?"

Bogo shrugged and rubbed his eyes. "I don't care," he said. The effort required dealing with politicians was starting to wear on the buffalo, and he couldn't keep the resignation from inflecting in his voice.d "But it seems they thought of that already. If information gets out, they will just spin it as a reward. A token of gratitude for your exemplary service. Show to the good citizens of Zootopia that the Mammal Inclusion Initiative brings mammals together!" he said with a half-hearted flourish of one big hoof, "Or some such nonsense."

He stopped rubbing his eyes and focused on them. "Which would be the truth in a sense, would it not?" he asked, "Certainly brought you two together. You are an item now, yes? That, it seems, would not be a fabrication."

Judy looked at Nick, and Nick looked back as their gaze locked for a long moment.

"Googly eyes," Bogo said.

Judy shook herself and ground her teeth. She did not like this. It was too… too… slimy. She felt like she was being used and manipulated, like when the buffalo sitting in front of her tasked her with solving 14 separate abduction cases on her second official day on the force. She hadn't forgotten what that felt like, and the same feeling was welling inside her.

"What if we don't agree?" she asked. Her voice was more clipped than she'd intended.

"Carrots…" Nick said. He saw absolutely no problem with this, but he could easily see Judy sinking the entire thing on principles.

"I would not advise it, Hopps. It would not make you friends in city hall," Bogo warned, "But if you insist, then I will simply do what I said and suspend you both for two weeks and assign you to new partners."

Judy looked over at Nick who was slightly shaking his head and giving her a stare that screamed 'No!' She toughened her expression and glared back at the Chief.

"This is blackmail!" she said accusingly. Bogo tensed for a brief moment then he sighed. He brought a hand up to rub the bridge of his muzzle again.

"No, it isn't," he said, his voice taking on an almost fatherly tone, "Trust me, Hopps, I would like nothing more than for you to say no so I could separate you two, and not from some need to be dogmatic about policy." He dropped his hand from his muzzle and looked at them. "The policy is there for a reason, and you know it. If I let it slide and it did lead to one of you, both, or someone else, getting hurt or worse, then it would be my fault. You'll excuse me if I do not want that on my conscience. I may still separate you two after the two weeks regardless… but consider this a test, both of you. Prove to me you can keep your personal life off duty, and I will leave things as they stand."

Judy gritted her teeth. She knew Bogo had a point, but she wasn't about to let the opportunity to serve with Nick slip from her paws, fraternization rules be damned.. She sighed and leaned forward, meeting Bogo's eyes.

"Fine. But sir, you better believe we'll prove to be the best damn unit the city has even seen." she said slowly.

A small smile played at the corners of Bogo's mouth. "I look forward to that very much, Hopps. Hopefully you'll remember your uniform when you're so adamantly proving me wrong," he said. Bogo turned to Nick. "And Officer Wilde, what are your thoughts on all of this?"

"I'm on board one hundred percent sir!" Nick said. He was downright thrilled about the situation. Paid time off? A hundred bucks a day to blow on whatever? Yes, please! Judy on the other paw...

"Excellent," Bogo said mildly and picked up his glasses and perched them on his muzzle once more. He picked up a file folder from his desk and began to go through it, no longer looking at either Nick or Judy. "Clawhauser will call you when the cards arrive," he said as he flicked the folder open, "Now, get out of my office."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir," Nick said, being uncharacteristically tactful as he made shooing motions at Judy.

Judy said nothing as they both slid off the seats and started to make for the door.

"Oh," Bogo said, "One other thing."

Nick and Judy stopped, turning back.

Bogo's nostrils flared, but he didn't look up from the folder. "Go take a shower. You two stink. Like each other, I might add," he said.

Judy's ears burned, while Nick looked offended, but didn't say anything.

"Yes, sir…" Judy said dully and turned, ears down. At this point, she just wanted to get out there. The last twelve hours had been a roller-coaster in more ways than one. She was tired, sore, hungry, thirsty, determined, grumpy, and emotionally spent.

They opened the door and walked out of the office. Side by side they started the long walk back around the curving mezzanine balcony.

Trotting towards them was Patricia Hogg, who worked down in records. She carried an armful of file folders and was apparently heading to the Chief's office. She was giving them that knowing smile everyone, except Chief Bogo, seemed to be doing.

Nick brought his forearm up and snuffled along it, "I do not stink," he said sourly.

"Yes you do," Hogg said as she trotted past.

Nick spun. "I do not!" he barked, arms half raised.

Judy couldn't help but be mildly amused by his antics. It was rare that Nick showed real offense to something. He always using humor to cover or deflect, but apparently being told he smelled was not something he could abide.

"Yes, you do!" Hogg said again in the same conversational tone as she continued without stopping or glancing back, "You smell like sex. She smells like sex and shame."

"I'm pretty sure this could qualify as sexual harassment!" Nick called to the pig as she walked away.

Judy stopped and hung her head. She took a deep breath and held it for a long beat before slowly letting it out. "I would say this day could not possibly get any worse again, but I'm afraid the building might fall on us." She rubbed her face "I'm going to the gym," she said, "I need to hit something."

Nick looked down at her, and her own soreness seemed to infect him, too. They hadn't gotten much sleep, and it was starting to catch up with him now that the adrenaline of the past hour was ebbing.

"You want to use me as a punching bag?" Nick asked, "I kind of feel like I deserve it."

Judy gave that some serious thought. She could probably handle him in a sparring contest, but she decided she didn't really want to try. Not today anyway. In spite of all his quips and inappropriate comments, she found she wasn't mad at him. She didn't think she could be right now that the drama was over. Out of all the mammals in the entire city, Nick was the only one going through this with her. Plus, she figured if the way her cheeks turned pink when he bore his dorky grin was any indication, she probably couldn't stay mad at him if she tried.

Her thoughts were instead straying to last night, about them, and the uncertain future. Her ears started to burn again. She cleared her throat then snorted a little laugh as she slid over to give Nick a light bump with her hips.

"No, you goof," she said, "I don't think I really want to spar, but you up for a jog?"

Nick shrugged. "Not really," he said and yawned, "But I'll do it for you."

Judy smiled and felt little better as she started walking.

"Let's do this," she said.


	5. Chapter 5 - All the Little Things

Judy pushed through the door to the female locker room open and kept her ears perked. She breathed a sigh of relief at the sound of no water running and no feet shuffling across the tile floors.

The morning rush usually didn't last much beyond 6:30 or 7 a.m. as shifts were beginning or ending. It would pick up again in an hour or so, but right now it was the sweet spot between shifts. It suited her just fine — she really was in no mood to deal with anyone right now. It didn't matter if they were all 'happy for them,' as Nick said, it was still embarrassing to have something so personal be so exposed. The betting was especially egregious, and she felt a seed of disgust growing in the pit of her stomach. She narrowed her eyes as she padded down the rows of lockers.

"How much you want to bet Clawhauser is the ringleader…" she muttered to herself.

Her thoughts were interrupted as she saw a water fountain and her thirst suddenly came to the forefront of her attention. She hadn't had anything to drink since just before the concert last night, and given the night's activities, she felt on the brink of dehydration. Thankfully, it was a standard multi-tiered unit with the second-to-lowest level at her height. She leaned over and started gulping down the cold, crisp water, sighing with content as the dry mouth she'd had since she woke up disappeared. It was good; she could feel herself beginning to unwind already.

She had the presence of mind to stop herself before she drank too much. It was never a good idea to load up when going to exercise, but it would be enough for now. She stepped back, sighed deeply, and smacked her lips in satisfaction.

"Whooo… that's better," she said, and turned and headed to her locker.

The row where hers was located consisted of the smaller kind where each had top and bottom doors. These were mostly used for those who didn't have a regular locker and just needed a place to store clothes or items temporarily while they worked out. For her, they were the perfect 'full' size with the bottom ones just at her height. She flipped the series of built-in combination dials, and once open, shrugged out of her t-shirt. She held it in her paws for a moment looking before ducking her head down to delicately sniff. She didn't really smell anything. She smelled herself, of course, and some of Nick but it certainly didn't stink like the chief and Hogg had implied. She furrowed her brow at the shirt.

"What does shame even smell like?" she grumbled and hung the shirt on one of the hooks, wriggled out of her shorts, and hung them as well.

She had a few sets of workout clothes in the locker; one fresh, two others not so fresh that she had yet to take to the laundry. Not wanting to soil the clean pair, she pulled out one of her dirty ones. She was apparently in desperate need of a shower, if the chief and Hogg were to be believed, and she was still half-disheveled and felt pretty grimy. It had been a few days since her last shower, which normally wasn't an issue for her Usually, just a quick dunk now and then to get the day's dust off was all that was needed, but after last night... well… they had been all over each other, mixing each other's scents for hours.

She wasn't dumb. She knew everybody had oils in their fur and were constantly exuding pheromones of one kind or another. Nick certainly did have that distinctive, light, foxy musk to him that she personally found pleasant. She figured her scent must have been pretty foxy, which would mean Nick smelled pretty rabbity in turn. She sighed. She so looked forward to a nice, long, hot soak. And shampoo. _Lots of shampoo,_ she thought. She finished pulling on a snug fitting black tank top and blue shorts then headed for the entrance to the gym.

The gym was on the second level of the ZPD building. It was around two hundred feet long and half that wide, with a tall arched ceiling to accommodate the larger members of the force. The room was slightly curved as were the outer walls and windows that overlooked the street along the backside of the building.

Warm morning light filtered in through the windows. It wasn't the harsh direct glare of the morning sun, however, but a more muted and soft glow from light reflected off the buildings across the street.

The room was filled with cardio and weight-training equipment, with a few other open areas used for sparring and stretching. There were weight machines, benches, free weights, and treadmills, but due to her size, Judy was relegated to using mostly the smallest of free weights and a very few of the machines. She was the smallest officer on the force, and there were few concessions for smaller mammals anywhere in the building, except for public spaces the occasional water fountain. The gym was no exception.

Judy looked around; only a few other officers were there with her. A tiger ran on one of the treadmills, while a snow leopard at the far end was jumping rope in one of the open spaces. She spied a gray wolf and rhino she recognized from her time at the Academy. Most of them were on separate shifts from her, so Judy's interactions with them were limited to saying hello in the hallway as the other clocked in or out.

Howlson, the wolf, and McHorn, the rhino, were doing some punch pad practice in one of the open areas. McHorn held the pads for Howlson; Judy figured if they switched places, the wolf would get knocked across the room from the force of the rhino's punches. McHorn noticed her walking in and raised a padded hand in greeting.

"Hey, Hopps! How's it goin'?" he said in his gravelly voice. The wolf turned and raised a paw as well.

"Hey!" Howlson said. Judy noticed his tail started wagging when he saw her.

Judy smiled, absurdly grateful they either didn't know or weren't mentioning her unwanted appearance in the weekend newspaper. She raised a paw back to them just as Nick exited the large door a few feet down from the one she had she had muscled her way past.

"Hey, guys! I'm doing alright, you?" she said.

"Can't complain!" McHorn said, shrugging.

Howlson spied Nick and looked back to Judy and gave her a wink with a thumbs up.

 _Okay… so they do know._ Judy sighed and rolled her eyes.

Howlson barked a short laugh until McHorn cuffed him lightly upside the head. It was a testament to McHorn's control that he didn't send the wolf sprawling, but it did elicit a yelp of surprise.

"Don't be a jerk!" she heard the big rhino say.

"Ow! Okay! Okay! Yeesh!" the wolf said, rubbing his head. McHorn inclined his head again at Judy.

"We'll catch ya later Hopps," he said and lifted the pads up again. "C'mon, puppy, gimme whatchya got," McHorn said. His taunt had the desired effect, and the two resumed their practice as Nick stepped up beside her.

Judy looked up at him. He was dressed in a white t-shirt and gray shorts hanging loosely over his body. The word 'handsome' popped into her mind unbidden, and that strange full body flush coursed over her again.

Judy was starting to regret coming into the gym now. She was tired and seriously ready to demolish some breakfast. She and Nick hadn't had any time to really talk yet, either, and she was starting to get anxious about it. She suspected that her idea to come to the gym was just an unconscious way to avoid it. She did want to talk, specifically about them and what everything that just happened meant.

Her mind tended to go blank every time she tried to think about how to start such a conversation. Outside of her desire to become a ZPD officer, Judy had never been fond of talking about the future. This morning hadn't made things any easier. From the moment she woke up until now, she'd been rushing from one crisis to the next.

Nick looked down at her and caught her lingering gaze on him. "Having second thoughts?" he asked.

She blinked. Alarms blared in her head before she realized he was talking about coming to the gym and not about them. Her ears burned and she chided herself. The fatigue had taken a toll on her usually sharp mind.

She rubbed at her eyes tiredly. "I guess so, but now that we're here…" she said, shrugging, "Let's stretch first, at least. I'm tired of feeling like an invalid." She knew being so stiff and sore could have actually made her a liability on the streets, and it unnerved her. _The chief was right,_ she thought. Not that she really doubted it, but being given an obvious physical example was humbling.

Nick smiled and gave a little theatrical bow, making an ushering gesture with one arm. "Lead on, Officer Hopps."

She rolled her eyes at him and padded off one of the open areas in the gym.

They used the same stretches and light exercises that were used in the Academy. Judy was no novice to exercise even before her induction too, having spent years playing sports and running track in High School.

They moved in relative silence. Stretching was mostly a solitary activity, but to in some instances it helped to have a partner help push or pull a muscle to its limit. At least that is what Judy told herself when she asked Nick to help pull her arms in a backward stretch, and again to push her each of her legs up as far she could tolerate.

It was a simple thing, but everything Judy did with Nick now seemed to take on some extra dimension. She tried not to let it get to her, but when he touched her, it sent a thrill up her spine. She was also confident Nick was letting his paws linger a little longer than needed and pressed up against her in ways that made her shiver.

Nick's thoughts were not too different from Judy's, and she wasn't wrong about his lingering touches. He couldn't help wanting to be as close to her as she seemed to want to be to him. He started taking any excuse to 'help' that he could. Judy in turn helped him, but to a lesser extent due to her smaller size. As nice as this was, however, he had to start thinking about about anything but Judy as he was about to become what could only be termed 'immodest.'

He concentrated instead on the eventful night and equally hectic morning, and he wished they had just been able to sleep in. He would have been plenty content to lounge in bed and snuggle Judy and her ridiculously soft fur all day. Instead, they had to scramble in a frantic rush to the ZPD, only to get yelled at.

The one nice thing about the morning, Nick thought, had been the unexpected bonus of being kind-of-sort-of-but-not-really suspended. The new Nick was a bit miffed about being taken off the streets only a day after he had gotten on them, but unlike Judy, he was not quite as militant as she was when it came to being an officer. He planned to take the job seriously, but he doubted his ability to keep pace with the voracity that Judy tackled work with. Plus, the old Nick still inside him was more than a little pleased at getting a paid week off on top of a hundred bucks a day to spend on food and fun.

Judy groaned and winced as she forced her sore muscles to stretch, but in the end, she felt much better and limber. She was a bit more worked up from the close contact with Nick, too, but she hardly considered a few butterflies and a racing heart to be a bad thing.

They finished after a few more minutes, and Judy picked a treadmill a few down from the big female tiger, who looked focused on her run and the music coming through her earbuds. Judy didn't know her, but had seen her around before. The tigress turned her head briefly to them and gave them the same kind of inclined nod that McHorn had then turned back without comment. Judy hopped up, and Nick got on the machine to her other side.

"Two miles?" she said to Nick. He audibly groaned.

"Ugh… If you insist," he said. He yawned wide enough for his fangs to peek out of his mouth as they pressed the buttons on the control panels.

Judy had to stand on her toes to even get a decent view. She didn't know what Nick selected, but she just used the manual program to set a leisurely six mile-per-hour pace. The machines beeped and the belt slowly started to move under her, gradually picking up speed.

Nick had selected a slightly slower pace for himself, but even that seemed like too much right now.

"So," Nick said as he got into the rhythm, "Since we have some time on our paws now, what do you want to do?"

Judy was quiet for a half dozen strides as she thought. This was the exact question she had been asking herself since they left the Chief's office, and it was one she didn't have an answer to. Outside of work, she usually kept to herself with reading in her apartment or at the nearby park. Dating hadn't even been on her radar since she'd moved to Zootopia. _Or ever,_ she thought. She wasn't sure what to do for one. All the cliché things dating were supposed to do together popped into her head, but in the end, she called up her logical side to analyze and enforce some kind of order. Her stomach rumbling as she ran gave her the most immediate answer.

"Food," she said.

"Amen to that. I'm so hungry I could eat a rabbit," Nick said and winked down at her.

Judy's ears burned. She was torn between shaking her head and giggling, and was too overcome by that thrill up her back that she did both.

"I also need to go home and get a change of clothes," she said after a moment as priority number two slotted into place.

Nick nodded. "Sounds like a plan, Fluff," he said.

Judy inwardly squirmed. She didn't know what it was, but she loved the nicknames he called her. All his little inappropriate comments, the way his eyes lingered on her when he thought she wasn't looking, she noticed them all. Before it had just been amusing camaraderie, but now they seemed to take on an entirely new meaning.

Nick was just short of a mile before he stabbed the big red stop button on the panel and the machine started to slow. He bent over and huffed when it finally stopped moving.

"Oh, come on!" Judy said next to him, "We're not even halfway!"

Nick waved a paw at her and stood up. Months at the academy had whipped him into shape, but he was exhausted and too hungry to care at the moment. His metaphorical tank was empty.

"I'm," he said between pants, "A fox… we're good at sneaking... not running."

Judy snorted and hopped up in a demonstration of agility to stab at the buttons on the panel and the speed increased.

Nick chuckled and shook his head. He wasn't sure where she got her energy from, but he wished he could tap into it once in a while.

"Fine," she said, hardly winded, "Meet you out front?"

Nick arched his back in a stretch. "Yeah, but first for that shower," he said with legitimate eagerness despite his exhaustion. For the most part, mammals with fur tended to be good at being self-cleaning. A full body bath and shampoo wasn't something needed often As much as of a hassle as he knew it would be, Nick was very much looking forward to a hot, soapy soaking. He also apparently smelled, so there was that reason, too. He struggled to smell himself, but after hours at a concert followed by hours in bed with Judy, he knew his musk must have been a bit overwhelming .

He made his way back into the locker room and to the showers. He didn't spend as much time as he initially planned. The problem with a coat like his was the difficulty in wetting it down to the skin and working the soap all the way in. The biggest pain, though, was rinsing all the shampoo out again, which usually took twice as long as everything else. After several minutes of trying to work the steamy water down into his coat, he started liberally lathering himself. It was still almost impossible to thoroughly get his back, though. He thought how much easier it would be with Judy's help, and made a mental note to bring up showering together the next time he wanted to see her ears turn pink.

After his russet red fur was full of bubbles, he began the process of trying to wash out all the soap. Eventually satisfied, he turned the shower off, got down on all fours, and gave a couple of good shakes to send the bulk of the water flying off him. He pushed the curtain aside and walked out, snagged his clothes, and headed toward the locker room. He grabbed a towel off the stack of them near the shower area entrance and cocked an ear as he heard the echo of conversation reverberating off the tile walls. He turned into the aisle that contained his locker and found McHorn there pulling an enormous grey-green t-shirt over his head. Nick just caught the tail of Howlson leaving around the other side of the isle. He vaguely recalled the two leaving the gym and passing by while he had been in the shower.

"See ya at MacNelly's, Mick," McHorn said from under the shirt to the departing wolf.

"Roger that!" Howlson's voice echoed back.

Nick had already started rubbing himself down one handed with the towel as he reached his locker. His, unlike Judy's, was one of the medium sized ones and he was just tall enough to be able to use. He set his clothes on the bench and continue to towel himself down.

McHorn's horn first popped out of the neck collar of the shirt, followed by the rest of his enormous head. He noticed Nick and inclined his head to him.

"Hey," McHorn said and inclined his head in that time-honored way of males everywhere.

Nick returned the greeting. "Hey."

The big Rhino tugged and settled his t-shirt then moved over to reach down to extending one huge hand. "George McHorn. Friends call me Georgie."

Nick hesitated for a moment before he took the enormous thick fingered hand, although it was more accurate to say the it enveloped his.

With a grace that belied his size, McHorn gently shook Nick's paw.

"A pleasure to meet you, Georgie," Nick said as they shook, "Nick Wilde."

McHorn snorted. "Everybody knows who you are, bro," the rhino said with a laugh and moved back in front of his own larger locker.

"Only good things, I'm sure," Nick said with a bit of sarcasm which garnered another low chuckle.

"Yeah. Somethin' like that," McHorn said and sat down on the bench running down the center of the isle. The thick, stout beam of wood creaked ominously.

Nick continued to towel himself off. "You any relation to Frank McHorn?" he asked as he dug the towel into one ear. He already knew the two were brothers, but it prevented any awkward silences.

McHorn smiled. "Yeah, that's my older brother. Bein' cops runs in the family," he said reaching into a locker to pull out a soft looking brush then leaned down to start and buff his thick toenails.

Nick didn't reply. He'd always felt somewhat unnerved by huge mammals like rhinos, and busied himself with the combination on his locker. He pulled the door open and started to reach in to get a pelt brush, but jerked his head back as the musky scent of a very specific rabbit and foxes co-mingled pheromones wafted out. He blinked and closed the door for a second then slowly pulled it open a crack to lean his head in for another sniff. He closed the door again and stared at it. He had to admit,it wasn't exactly a bad smell. It was bit overpowering in the confines of the locker, though. It took a few moments, but he finally realized that he and Judy had been scent blind.

They had been together all night, but the brain has the ability to block certain scents if you're around it long enough. Now that he'd gotten a shower, it all became apparent. His ears drooped and he let out a quiet groan of embarrassment. He and Judy had been trailing that odor behind them the entire time as they walked through the precinct. He chastised himself for not knowing better, but two hours' sleep and the added rush to get here had distracted him from it. Plus, it had quite a while since this had been an issue for him, a fact he wasn't excited to admit.

"You okay down there?" McHorn asked.

Nick blinked and stepped back, picking up the towel again and pretending to dry himself some more. "What? Oh! Nothing! Just, uh, thinking," he said, trying to sound nonchalant and doubting his success.

McHorn grunted and leaned down and began picking at the skin around one big nail.

There was another long pause, and Nick thought of what he was going to do. All he had here was his uniform and his workout clothes, which he now wondered if they had a questionable scent too. He eyed the clothes on the bench and shrugged. They would have to do until he could get back the apartment. They were clean, and he hardly ran for more than ten minutes before begging off, so he figured they would be the least offensive to the noses of mammals around him.

Nick made a decision. He picked up his t-shirt from the bench. "Hey, Georgie," he said, "Do me a favor?"

"What's that?"

Nick held out the shirt to the rhino. "Sniff this and tell me what you smell."

McHorn raised an eyebrow but leaned his big head over and snuffled at the shirt for a moment. "Like you two been fuckin', and not just a little bit of fuckin', either."

Nick's eyes closed and he let out a groan as his arms dropped to his sides.

McHorn burst out laughing. "What?" he said, "Are you tellin' me two didn't know that? Shit, me and Mick could smell you two damn near as soon as you came in."

Nick rubbed a paw down over his eyes and muzzle. "Well, that's just fantastic."

McHorn, still chuckling shook his head. "It's all good. Everybody forgets sometimes," he said, "And that shirt ain't too bad. Just give it a shake or two."

"Thanks, Georgie," Nick said with a tinge of sarcasm.

McHorn, still chuckling. He leaned forward to put the brush back in his locker before standing up. Getting up from the bench caused it to creak and visibly flex up back up to horizontal. "So," he said, drawing the word out, "You and Hopps, eh?"

Nick put the shirt down and resumed toweling himself off. He shrugged. It wasn't exactly something he could deny — not that he wanted to. In fact, he kind of liked it that everybody knew. The newspaper was unexpected, but he found himself proud of the fact that it was now 'Him and Hopps.'

"Yeah… me and Hopps," he said with a stupid grin. He tossed the towel back onto the bench. He cracked the door to his locker open and snuck a paw in to grab his brush while trying to obscure his efforts to keep the door closed. He saw no reason to advertise things more than they already were.

McHorn gave a little chuckle and shook his head. "I tell ya, I ain't never seen a fox and rabbit hook up. Not that I know many foxes and rabbits. Ain't you guys supposed t'be like, you know, fire and ice?" McHorn asked.

Nick couldn't help chuckling. The oddity of his love for a rabbit was hardly lost on him. "More like fire and gasoline," he said. When McHorn looked at him with a raised eyebrow, Nick made an explosion like gesture with his paws. "Boom! Except instead of fire, it's fur."

"Ha!" the rhino said and closed the door to his locker and spun the combo wheels with a thick finger.

Nick started to brush his fur out as McHorn turned and leaned against the lockers, crossing his arms. The entire row of made a brief but distinct sound of metal under stress. For a second Nick was afraid the whole thing would fall over, but the solid construction held.

"I guess it ain't that odd," McHorn said and squinted his eyes in thought, "My cousin is datin' a grizzly bear. A grizzly bear! Damnedest thing I ever saw, but ya know what they say - love is blind and shit."

Nick gave a little shake of his head and smiled. "Believe me, Georgie," he said, "I'm as surprised as everyone else. If you said a year ago I'd be dating a rabbit girl from the country, I would have said you were crazy."

McHorn grunted out a little laugh. "So you guys in trouble?" he asked, "We heard the Chief yellin' at you when you guys came in."

Nick shrugged and opened his locker to put his brush back. "I think the entire building heard that," Nick said, chagrined as he reached down to fish his phone and wallet out of his slacks, and pluck his sunglasses from the shirt pocket.

"But yes and no. Suspended with pay for a week," Nick said, deciding that the deal made didn't need to be made public knowledge if it could be avoided. McHorn grunted again.

"Yeah, that's what we was figurin'. Somethin' like that," McHorn said and scratched the side of his muzzle with a thick finger, "Chiefs a good guy once you get t'know how he works."

Nick nodded and started to reach for his shirt but stopped and briefly debated going to stand in front of one of the big body blowers for a while. If he left things as they were his undercoat would be damp all day, and he hated the muggy, humid feeling it gave him. The idea of using the blowers to air his clothes out also came so instead of getting dressed he just turned and mirrored McHorns lean against the lockers and crossed arms.

"Tell ya what," McHorn said, wagging a finger at him, "That is one badass bunny bro. I went to the Academy with her. About knocked my ass out in the ring."

"Oh!" Nick said, "That was you?" Judy had already told him the story many times, but he figured it was a good opportunity to shift the conversation away from his love life.

McHorn rumbled with a big belly laugh that shook the doors of the lockers. "So you heard about that, eh?" he said.

"Oh, yes indeed," Nick said, "Ursula told us the story. She's a bit of a celebrity there."

McHorn snorted. "Ol' Major Thunder Paws, ha! And I don't doubt it," he said, "But she got my respect that day, I tell ya that. She's a damn good cop."

"Yeah, she is," Nick said. A dopey grin spread across his muzzle as he thought about his little 'badass bunny.' "She inspired me to join, after all."

"Oh yeah, that's right!" McHorn said, "All that stuff with Bellwether and shit." The big rhino took his weight off the lockers, the metal creaking and ticking. "Hey, I gotta get goin', but you guys should join us tonight at MacNelly's. Some of us are meetin' up there at seven to hang out. You know where it is?"

"Oh, I do," Nick said, trying not to smirk. MacNelly's was a cop bar. Every precinct had a nearby place that the local cops adopted as their watering hole to hang out at when off duty. In his former life, Nick had given them a wide berth. You didn't want to be hustling or carrying out questionable activities near a place like that if you wanted to remain free to hustle and carry out questionable activities.

"Cool! We've tried to get Hopps to come out before, but she never has. Bit of a workaholic, ya know?" McHorn said, "When she's not on duty, she's got her nose in some fuckin' text book or somethin'. Think maybe you can get her to come?"

Nick had not known Judy was a workaholic, but in retrospect, it didn't surprise him. He hummed. "I think I might be able to do that," he said after thinking about it a few seconds, "But no promises."

McHorn nodded and turned to leave.

"Good enough for me," the rhino said, "Hope to see ya both there!"

"Roger that, big guy!" Nick said and scooped up his clothes as he padded the other way to the big wall mounted blowers.

* * *

Judy luxuriated in the shower more than Nick after she finished her run. The mild tremors in her quads and the pain in her sides were all she needed to justify a few extra minutes.. Her fur wasn't as dense as Nick's, meaning she didn't have to work as hard to get the soap down to her skin. She allowed herself to sit under the hot water and counted the drops that fell from her nose.

She still had a bit of a runner's high, but her energy was quickly draining. What little boost she got from soaking in the hot water dissipated quickly once she stepped into the comparatively cold air of the locker room. She used her paws to squeegee the water off her arms, torso, and legs before trotting out and grabbing a towel to finish the job.

There was still nobody in the locker rooms. The tigress had still been out there running when she left, and nobody else had come in. She flipped the combo dials on her locker and opened the door. She immediately shut it with a bang and wrinkled her nose.

She sighed and leaning forward to rest her forehead against the cool painted metal of the door.

Nick waited for Judy just outside the rec area, leaning against the wall between the doors of the male and female locker rooms patting down and fussing with his fur. He'd never been a fan of blow dryers; they tended to fluff up his fur and leave it puffed up at odd angles. It took a considerable amount of brushing to tame it. He made a mental note to complain about the supposed shampoo and conditioner combo they had in those showers as it was obviously not up to the job for fox fur.

After about ten minutes, Judy finally pushed her way out of the female locker room. She spotted Nick waiting and gave him a look he could not quite decipher. She didn't stop and just kept walking.

Nick pushed off the wall to fall into step next to Judy. He noticed that she was not wearing her clothes from last night or the workout clothes she had run in. Instead, she had what looked like another exercise outfit on consisting of a white t-shirt and tight blue calf length capri-style spandex leggings. Nick also noted that the leggings were rather form fitting, if the surreptitious glances at her butt were to be believed.

They walked in silence for a few moments, heading to the front of the building. Nick flicked out the aviator sunglasses he had been holding in his paw and settled them on his muzzle. He clasped his paws behind his back, walking lockstep with Judy.

"We did smell," Judy said flatly, keeping her gaze forward.

"Yes, Carrots. Yes we did," Nick said coolly.

They continued to walk in silence. Nick followed her lead as she went to the curving stairs down instead of the elevator.

Judy kept her eyes locked on the revolving doors. She just wanting to get out into the fresh air without anymore knowing looks, winks, or chuckles.

When they finally made it outside, they headed down the steps and stopped. Judy turned her head up to the sky. The morning sun was just starting to climb above the height of the taller buildings. A light breeze blew and held a slight chill as the vagaries of wind brought the occasional gust over from Tundratown. There was also a slight hint of moisture in the air, and looking down the street, she could see a dark line on the horizon.

Nick sniffed the air, nose twitching. "Is it supposed to rain today?" he asked, and Judy shrugged.

"Some early afternoon showers, I think," she said and placed her paws on her head and slid them back and down over her head and ears.

"I'm so hungry," Judy mumbled, "but so tired..."

Nick couldn't disagree.

The adrenaline of the morning's rush long gone, hunger gnawed at them the longer they stood there. They stood there in silence, unsure of what they were waiting for. .

"Okay," Judy said finally, "Food." She rubbed her cheeks and looked back and forth, trying to recall what was around the ZPD and open this early. Most places around the precinct were coffee shops and fast food, with the occasional food cart occupying a street corner. There were two actual restaurants in line of sight, but they only opened later once lunch rolled around.

"Uhh…" Nick said, "Well, there's Donut Joe's." Nick nodded across the street, not for the first to think that old Joe has been a genius to open a donut shop across for the ZPD.

Judy made a face. "No," she said firmly, "No coffee shops, no donuts… I want real food."

"Lawn clippings aren't real food," Nick said with a straight face.

Judy rolled her eyes and slapped a paw at his arm. "Jerk," she said, which got a chuckle out of Nick. They both stood there in silence for a few more moments when Judy spoke up.

"There's a place a few blocks away called Honey's, I think," she said, "I've never been, but I've heard a few other officers mention it. It's supposed to be pretty good."

Nick stiffened, which went unnoticed by Judy.

"It's one of those old-timey diners, the night guys love the place," she said and looked up at Nick, who had managed to relax after his initial reaction to the name. "I am going to assume you've heard of it Mister 'I know everybody'?" she asked.

Nick knew Honey's, and going to the diner was not on his list of priorities for the morning. It was the last place in the city he wanted to go right now.

"Nick?" Judy asked.

Nick blinked down at her, and his mind raced trying to think of what to say. He considered lying and saying he'd heard it wasn't any good, but lying to Judy was even lower on his list of priorities. The diner was the go-to place where you found sleep-deprived college students cramming in the middle of the night, cops drinking coffee, or drunken revelers who just had to have eggs and pancakes at 2:30 in the morning. The food was plentiful, cheap, and tasty. The perfect combination. Given different circumstances, Nick knew he'd be there every week.

His options were limited. He either pretended nothing was wrong, told Judy was the deal was or... _Or I stop being such a coward,_ he thought. What he had said last night came to his mind about how Judy affected him, and this bolstered his nerve.

Judy's brow furrowed. To her Nick seemed to have frozen in place, his eyes locked on hers. "Nick?" she said again, "are you okay?"

Nick blinked. "I know it," he said, trying to sound nonchalant. He forced a smile. "It's good. I think you'll like it."

Judy looked at him curiously. She didn't know what had just passed, but it wasn't nothing. "Are you sure?" she asked, "You don't seem thrilled about it."

Nick rubbed a paw under his muzzle and sighed. He had the sinking feeling this was going to ruin the day and did not want to have this conversation just yet. _One step at a time,_ he told himself, but that coward in him secretly hoped Honey wouldn't be in.

"I just have some… history with the place," he eventually said. He took the initiative and gestured down the street as he started to walk, "Let's go."

Judy fell in beside him, looking up at him with concern and suspicion.

"Did you try and hustle them or something?" she asked with narrowed eyes, "Steal some special secret sauce?"

Nick put a paw over his chest. "Why, Officer Hopps, you wound me!" he laughed, "No Carrots, nothing so mundane." He looked at her. "And what do you mean try to hustle? I never tried. I just did, Fluff."

Judy gave a little snort, but Nick continued. "No, it… it's just where my mom worked before… she, uh, got sick."

Judy's ears fell. "Oh, Nick," she said and reached out a paw to lay it on his arm, "I'm sorry. I didn't know. We can go someplace else." Judy knew Nick's mom was listed as deceased, and there had never been any mention of his father, but she had no other details — she'd never asked. All she knew about his mother was that tiny mention of her in that sky tram ride a year ago. She felt decidedly uncomfortable having evoked this reaction from him, but was intensely curious to know more. She made a conscious decision not to pry. Nick hadn't badgered her with questions about her family, and she felt like she'd be overstepping her bounds.

"That's not it," he said, shaking his head, "I mean, it is, but it isn't, too... it's just sort of complicated, I guess" Nick trailed off. They walked in silence for a short time, neither of them speaking. Nick's thoughts were drawn to the past. He felt that dark pull down into bleak memory. Nick looked down as one of Judy's small paws slide into his. They could not exactly hold paws and walk together due to the difference in height, so instead Judy just pulled his paw and forearm to her chest and hugged it to her body snuggling up close to him as they walked. The mood that had started to creep up on him vanished in an instant to be replaced with just thoughts and feelings about the little rabbit that walked next to him.

"It's okay, Nick," Judy said, "Leave it for another time. Let's find someplace else."

Nick smiled down at her. "Thanks, Carrots, but it's okay. It'll be fine," he said and squeezed her against his side briefly. The tension seemed to dissipate, "It can't rain all the time."

Judy wasn't sure what that meant, and they continued to walk in silence.

"So," Judy eventually said, "Honey's is good?"

"You've really not been there?" Nick asked, incredulous.

Judy shook her head. "Nope, " she said, shaking her head.

Nick clucked his tongue. "You've been a year and have never been there? Carrots, you really need to get out more," he said shaking his head, "They have fantastic omelets, and this potato cheese casserole that should be a controlled substance."

Judy cocked an eyebrow. "That good?" she asked skeptically.

"Just you wait," Nick said, "Ugh, I'm drooling just thinking about it."

Judy raised both eyebrows then. "Well, can't get much better praise than fox drool," she said. When Nick didn't respond, she looked up at him. He was gazing back down at her with an intense look that she could feel even through the mirrored glass of his aviators. His ears tilted back and his tongue slowly slipped out to lick the right side of his muzzle. Judy sucked in a breath and jerked her gaze away. A new shot of adrenaline coursed through her and the fur from the top to the bottom of her spine felt like it was standing on end.

"Oh my gods, stop that," she said quickly, her body giving a shiver.

Nick chuckled, pleased with himself.

"Sly fox," she said and gave leaned into him, giving him a little push.

"Beautiful bunny," Nick replied back, making the same thrill run through here again for the second time in as many seconds.

Judy groaned and Nick laughed. "You are such a cheeseball, you know that?" she told him.

"Okay, okay," Nick said, holding his other paw up, "I'll behave."

Judy hugged Nick's arm tightly for a second.

"Just for now," she said. Their exchange had pressed a few internal buttons she'd become aware of last night, "I fully intend to have you not behave in the near future."

"Yes, Officer Hopps," Nick said, mimicking the tone he had used last night.

Judy's eyes went wide, and she shoved him again. "Oh my gods! Stop it!" Judy pleaded.

Nick let out a genuine laugh and put his free paw over his eyes. "You're too easy Carrots," he said and snaked a finger under his aviators to wipe small tears of laughter from the corners of his eyes.

Judy huffed, and failed to suppress a wide smile. Despite everything, she was very happy right here. Right now. _Is this what dating is really like?_ she wondered. She was immensely enjoying the little pleasures like holding Nick's arm, their suggestive banter, and the simple talk about personal things. The banter was especially new, and she was loathe to admit how much she enjoyed it.

Nick's chuckling ebbed. He took a breath. "So," he said, looking down, "McHorn the younger wants us to go to MacNelly's tonight."

Judy cocked her head up at him. "Who, Georgie?" she asked, and Nick nodded.

Judy thought about this for a moment. She had been invited to go out to 'hang with the guys' before, but had never accepted. Her brow furrowed; previously, the prospect of going out drinking wasn't particularly exciting. That was especially true now that she was confident she'd be teased for her burgeoning, public relationship. With Nick there, though, she figured any comments wouldn't be too bad. _Not to mention, this would get us out in public, which is what Bogo wanted,_ she thought

"Hmm, okay," she said as she started to nod and shrugged, "Why not? It gets us out like the chief wanted, and they've been bugging me about it for ages. It's not like we have anything better to do, anyway."

"Oh, I could think of some better things to do," Nick said. His face remained neutral, but his eyes glanced down at Judy from behind his aviators to gauge her reaction.

Judy's ears started to burn again, but she was immediately distracted at the thought of something else. She jabbed Nick in the ribs, earning a yelp from him.

"Hey!" he complained, looking down at her, "What was that for?"

"Speaking of inappropriate comments!" she said, "Thanks a lot for the help up there with the chief!"

Nick gave a small grin and had the good grace to look a little ashamed. "Yeah. Sorry about that," he said, rubbing the back of his head, "I swear, my muzzle has a mind of its own sometimes."

Judy rolled her eyes and shook her head. "So I've noticed."

"It's one of the many reasons you love me," Nick replied matter-of-factly.

Judy snorted, but couldn't deny it. His blithe, smart-aleck personality was one of the things that drew her to him in the first place. He'd been the most insufferable mammal she'd ever met at the ice cream shop months ago, but she had to admit he'd grown on her . She smiled and hugged his arm tighter once more.

"So, what time tonight?" she asked.

"Seven," Nick replied, "I guess you've never been there, either?"

Judy shook her head. "Nope, " she said, "I don't drink, and just haven't been interested. It all seems… tedious? I guess that's the word. That's not even mentioning all the calls I've been on for mammals drunk in public."

Nick raised an eyebrow. "Never? Not even a sip?" he asked. "I bet you were a blast to party with in high school."

Judy stuck her tongue out at him. "Well, I mean, there were a few times, but I can't say I've ever been more than tipsy," she said, and Nick hummed to himself.

"Well, if you don't want to go, we don't have to," he said, the conversation now reversed from where it was just a few minutes prior. "Georgie seemed kind of eager, so I figured I should ask."

"No, it's okay," Judy said, shaking her head, "It's not like I have to drink if I go, and you're right about needing to get out more. I've been here for months, and it's about time to get to know my fellow officers better."

Nick rolled his eyes. "Carrots, stop being so analytical," he said.

"What?" Judy asked, furrowing her brow.

Nick's paw, clutched against Judy's front, idly rubbed her belly. Judy grabbed his paw with one of hers quickly and squeezed it making him stop. _If he doesn't cut this out,_ she thought, _we are going to have an incident to really give the papers to talk about._

"You still have this textbook way of looking at the world," Nick said, seeming oblivious to what his rubbing had done to her. "It's not naïve or anything, but… I'm not sure how to put it. You…" Nick rolled his free paw in the air, "You, um, well, you always see four as being the sum of two plus two, but four is also six minus two." Nick rubbed his eyes with his paw, "Ugh, I think I just confused myself with another terrible metaphor, or analogy, or whatever it is."

"Analogy," Judy said, grinning and Nick just rolled his eyes.

Judy looked down at the sidewalk and thought. It was a terrible analogy, but she started to understand what he meant. All her childhood had been spent in zealous pursuit of joining the ZPD, but not every officer was like her.

She recalled her first few days on the force and how she had been treated, even by Nick when they had first met. She'd come to terms with her former naiveté about the department. She was self-aware enough to realize she tended to default back to her 'book smarts' in unfamiliar situations.

The silence dragged out. Nick snuck a peek down at her, afraid he had upset her. He was just about to say something when Judy spoke up.

"You're right," she said.

"I am?" Nick said in surprise.

Judy nodded. "Yes," she said, "I mean, when you really get down to it, I grew up in a pretty insular place." She made her gait waddle a bit and shrugged. "Bunnyburrow isn't the biggest hub of action and excitement," she said, "I had my plan, and I stuck to it. I studied, and I trained and never… I don't know, put myself out there?" She shrugged again, "In a lot of ways I'm still a dumb bunny from the country."

Nick smiled and snorted.

"What?" Judy asked.

"You said dumb bunny," Nick snickered.

Judy narrowed her eyes up at him.

"Infuriating fox." She retorted.

Nick winked at her. "You know it Fluff," he said. He looked up and saw they'd arrived in front of the diner. He stomped down on the anxious feeling that had built with every step of the way. "And here we are… prepare for deliciousness," he said, pulling his sunglasses off and tucking them in the collar of his shirt.

Judy looked at the place with some suspicion, despite the restaurant's reputation. Honey's chrome and tile color scheme made it look like any other greasy spoon. The smell of fatty food cooking wafting from the kitchen caused her stomach to rumble and made up her mind for her without further internal debate. Judy let go of Nick's arm, and he opened the door for her and followed after as she walked in.

The place looked like it belonged fifty years in the past, with a long counter complete with red vinyl-topped stools and a similar motif for the booths that lined the walls. There were areas set aside for smaller mammals, and on one large section of the counter, there was an entire miniature diner complete with kitchen and grill area. The place was busy, too; most of the seats were taken by mammals in everything from suits and ties to construction visibility jackets.

The air was not only filled with the smell of cooking food, but also with the low hum of conversation, silverware clinking on plates, newspapers rustling and the tak-tak-tak of typing on more than few laptop keyboards.

Judy raised her eyebrows and looked up at Nick.

"Trust me," Nick said, catching the look, "The food here is fantastic."

"Nick?" a female voice called. Judy saw Nick tense.

"Wishes and fishes," Nick muttered under his breath and turned, putting a smile on his muzzle.

An older vixen trotted over. Her muzzle a silvery gray that faded into more red. She was dressed in a pink and white waitress outfit that matched the old time décor, energetically chewing gum,, and sported a nametag that read 'Honey' on it in curling red letters. Apparently, this was the diner's proprietor and namesake.

The vixen slowed to a stop in front of them with her eyes intent on Nick. The gum chewing slowed as well. She looked down at Judy for a moment, then did a double take as recognition hit her. She didn't say anything and turned her attention back to Nick.

Judy looked back and forth between them. Nick's posture had gone stiff, and the vixen was acting like she was facing a mammal she was afraid was about go savage.

"Gotta say, Nicky," she said in a thick country accent, "I'm surprised to see ya."

Nick was steadfastly avoiding Honey's gaze, which Judy thought he seemed unable to meet.

 _Coward_ , a voice hissed at Nick from the back of his mind.

"I know," Nick said curtly, but rallied himself. He cleared his voice and forced himself to meet Honey's eyes. "Look, Honey, we're just here for breakfast. It's already been a long morning, and we're really hungry. Maybe we can talk later, okay?"

Honey stopped chewing her gum and stared back into Nick's eyes intently. She was silent for several long seconds as they looked at each other. She nodded carefully and gave the gum a couple slow chews. "Alright," she said quietly, the gum chewing speeding up, "Alright... ok. I'd like that. I'd like that a whole lot, Sugar."

Judy watched this exchange with a mix of curiosity and alarm. She couldn't tell if they were on the verge of tears or an argument. _We shouldn't have come here,_ she told herself, _If I had known this was going to happen..._

At that moment, Honey transformed from the wary and cautious fox Judy had been introduced to into someone else. She blinked her eyes and smiled wide, and her gum chewing resumed in earnest. She opened her arms wide. "Can I at least get a hug?"

Nick forced a brittle smile. He wanted to hug her more than anything, but at the same time he wanted to run right back out the door. _Why did I think this was a good idea again?_ he asked himself, _Oh, right. I didn't._ "Sure," he said and stepped into the embrace somewhat reluctantly.

Judy watched as the two hugged. Nick's arms didn't seem to know what to do for a moment before they slowly wrapped around the vixen.

"Mmmm," Honey hummed and stepped back. She smiled and looked Nick up and down. "Just look at you," she said, "Zootopia's first fox police officer! You're doin' us foxes proud." she said with evident pride.

Nick took a stranglehold on his emotions. He was relieved when Honey let him go, but his paws lingered on her back, not willing to be released from the embrace.

"Thanks," he said and cleared his throat, "Uh, about that breakfast? I wasn't kidding about being hungry, and I told her about the casserole."

Honey seemed to have forgotten that Judy was there and looked down. She rolled that gum around in her muzzle and nodded at Judy. "You're Judy Hopps, right?"

Judy smiled. She decided if everybody else was going to act like nothing strange was going on that she probably should too. For now.

"Yes, ma'am," she said and held out a paw, "A pleasure to meet you."

Honey shook Judy's smaller paw gently. "Oh, sweetheart," she said, "Pleasure is all mine. It's not often I get celebrities in my little diner! Especially ones who saved the city!"

Judy smiled as they released paws. "Thanks. I don't know about saving the city, though. I was just doing my job, ma'am."

Honey snorted. "That's what heroes always say," she said and gestured as she started walking, "Now, enough yakkin', c'mon. Let's get you two seated and some warm food in your bellies."

They followed Honey to a empty booth that was just being wiped down by a portly little pig in the same outfit as Honey.

"Here we go," she said then side as an aside to the pig, "I got these two, Jenny."

Jenny gave Nick and Judy a brief glance but shrugged as she moved away. "Okay, boss," she said as she trotted off to some other customer that was raising a paw to get attention.

Nick and Judy slid into the shiny red seats. Judy found her head barely was above the table height. _Please don't tell me I have to ask for a booster seat_ , she silently grumbled to herself as she looked around for possible controls. They tended to be a standard, if not a necessity, in a city like Zootopia.

"Oh, here sweetheart. Let me get that for you," Honey said and pressed a button on the set into the outward facing side of the seatback as the seat shifted and raised up with the quiet hum of hidden motors.

Judy smiled. "Thank you," she said as the level got to something more reasonable for her.

"My pleasure sweetie. Let me go get you two some menus," Honey said and moved off.

Judy watched the vixen move off for a second before turning a very pointed look at Nick. "Nick," she said in a half whisper, "You mind telling me what the heck is going on here?"

Nick grimaced. "It's nothing, Carrots," he said keeping his own voice low. He didn't return Judy's gaze. Instead, he fixed on nothing in particular in the far end of the diner.

"Don't give me that!" Judy countered, "If whatever just happened was nothing, then I'm a hippos aunt!"

"Then you're a hippos aunt," Nick said flatly.

"Nick!" Judy hissed, and Nick's eyes finally flicked down hers.

"Not now. Okay? I admit it's not nothing, but just… later, please," Nick said.

Judy was about to respond, but Honey had already returned to their table.

"Here we go!" Honey said as she returned and set down a large double-sided laminated menus in front of each of them. She also noticed the look that was still being held between Nick and Judy.

Before things got more awkward, Nick pulled his eyes away and picked up his menu. "Ahh, so, what's good today?" he asked hurriedly.

Honey looked back and forth but went back to pretending that everything was fine. "What you mean what's good? Everything, sugar, like always. I'll give y'all a few minutes to look," she said and pulled out a pen and order pad, "What can I get y'all to drink?"

"Coffee," Nick said then looked to Judy, "What about you, Carrots?"

Judy took her eyes off Nick. "What?" Judy asked then the question registered, "Oh, um, do you have carrot juice?"

Honey nodded. "Sure do, sweetie," the vixen said. Judy thought she sounded like a more genial, country version of her mother.

"Some carrot juice then, please," she said then added, "And some coffee!"

Honey smiled. "Comin' right up," said Honey before walking off.

Judy's nose wrinkled as Honey headed back to the kitchen. "I take it she's the owner?" she asked Nick, changing tack and nodding at Honey. She wanted some answers now, or at least whatever Nick was willing to give her.

Nick nodded in reply, glad to change the subject at first. "Uh, place used to be called Jimmy's. Honey and my-" he said and stopped. _Walked right into it, Wilde,_ he told himself. He cleared his throat, "She saved up money for years and when the old owner decided to retire she bought it from him."

 _So,_ Judy thought _, wasn't just Honey. it must have been his mom, too. They were saving money together._ Still, Judy was impressed. She wondered how many years saving up that much must have taken.

"Come on, Judy," Nick pleaded. He saw the gears turning in her head and knew her well enough that she tended to see every mystery as a personal challenge.

Judy's eyes flicked up to Nick's at the use of her name. She broke the gaze and sighed. "Fine," she groused, "But you're explaining this later, mister. You're the one who said it would be okay.

Nick raised his paws, "I know, I jus-" he said but was cut off as a thought popped into Judy's mind.

"Oh, my gods," Judy said quietly, "Nick, did you sleep with her? Is that what this is about?"

Nick blinked at her blankly for several long seconds before his expression turned horrified. "Ew, no!" he said much too loudly, causing several heads to turn their way. He ducked his head and leaned forward. "No, gods, I didn't sleep with her!" he hissed back in disgust, "That's like asking if I slept with my mom!"

Judy clucked her tongue in a way that she she often heard used against her father by her mother. "Well" she whispered and looked away, now rather embarrassed, "Maybe you have a thing for older vixens! I don't know! You're both treating each other like the other is going to explode! It seemed a logical conclusion!"

"Ugh," Nick said again and shivered and went quiet.

Judy was silent as well but her eyes eventually found Nick's again and they looked at each other for a long moment.

A smile started to twitch at the corners of Judy's mouth.

Nick's face twitched as well as he fought down the urge to laugh. Judy snorted and Nick couldn't help it and began to snicker.

Judy put a paw over her muzzle and giggled quietly.

Honey returned just then with a tray containing their drinks in addition to two glasses of water. The vixen looked at the still giggling Nick and Judy as she set the drinks down. "Should I give y'all a few minutes?" she asked.

Nick cleared his throat and swallowed. He smiled politely. "Could you, please?"

Honey arched an eyebrow. "Sure, sweetie," she said and moved off to another table after the drinks were set down.

Nick watched Honey go and relaxed slowly. _Well,_ he thought, _maybe this will turn out alright._ He turned his attention back to Judy.

Judy looked back, still smiling. The need to know what was going on still nagged at her, but she decided it could wait. She sighed and looked down at her paws on the table as one paw fidgeted with the fingers of the other. It was an awkward situation, but what made it worse is when she looked at Nick she didn't see her insufferable partner anymore, she saw someone she loved. _This is why it's dangerous to fraternise,_ she thought, _this is exactly why._

"You okay over there, Carrots?" Nick asked as he reached and pulled his coffee closer, picking up the little containers of cream.

Judy sighed. "I don't know what I'm doing," she said after few seconds, her voice small and sounding uncharacteristically unsure. A sudden nervous feeling having come over her out of nowhere.

"What do you mean you don't know what you're doing?" Nick asked. He used a claw to slice open the tops of the creamers and started dumping one after another into his coffee.

Judy looked up at him. "How many girlfriends have you had in your life?" she asked as she reached out for her juice and took a long drink of it.

Nick blinked and sat forward. He thought for a moment and started muttering names under his breath as he ticked them off on his fingers. "About… eight, I think," he said, "At least ones I would call at least semi-serious, why?"

Judy blinked and looked down at her paws again. "It's just," she said. She shrugged and lookied up at him, "This is weird… is this weird?"

Nick cocked his head at her. "Well," he said slowly, "Let's see… a former con artist fox is now a cop and in love with a rabbit, who also happens to be his partner. He and his partner are suspended the second day of the fox's job after having a picture of them kissing published in the newspaper. Then, they were chewed out by the chief of police and apparently smelled like they had been at each other all night, "

Nick took a breath and gave Judy a leer that made Judy's ears burn before continuing, "Which is exactly what they had been doing, and now are settling down to a nice breakfast on the first day of a paid vacation. A vacation on which they are supposed to be seen out and about with each other." Nick nodded, "Hmm… Yeah, this definitely fits the definition of weird."

Judy rolled her eyes upwards and tamped down some of the awkwardness she was feeling. "Okay, yes," she said, ducking her head, "But that's not what I'm talking about." She caught herself fidgeting with her paws and made herself stop, clasping them together instead. She took a calming breath before she opened her mouth again. "What I mean is, I've never been in a relationship, and-"

Nick held up a paw, ears suddenly up.

"Wait a minute, are — I know you said you didn't really have any boyfriends and everything, but are you telling me that last night was your, uh," he paused, "Was I...? But you, um, you kinda knew what you… uhh… the thing you did with your... and.."

Judy blushed so hard she was sure it was showing through more than just the fuzz on the insides of her ears. She closed her eyes and held a paw to silence him, but failed to notice Honey moving their way.

"Nick, I love you, and I know your mouth has a mind of its own, but we are in public, and I've had about as much embarrassment as I can handle for one day," she said.

"Nicholas Wilde, are you datin' a rabbit girl?" Honey said with genuine shock in her voice as she walked up. She had already been watching the two curiously. She saw something in the way they looked at each other when they walked in, and overhearing Judy confirmed it.

Nick cringed, hunching his shoulders. "Great," he muttered. He relaxed and put on a smile.

Judy groaned and didn't bother opening her eyes. She thumped her head down on the table a couple of times.

"Somebody kill me," she said, muffled.

"My, my, my," Honey continued, "I don't think I could be more surprised if the sun winked out."

Nick shrugged. "What can I say, Honey," he said and put on an easy grin, "She threatened to arrest me, and I fell in love with her."

Honey gave a short bark of laughter and just shook her head in disbelief. "Tsk-tsk, little Nicky Wilde. First makin' good and become a police officer, and now datin' a rabbit… what is the world coming to?" Honey said, looking back and forth between the two of them.

Judy still sat with her head down on the cool tabletop.

"Is she okay?" Honey asked Nick in a quiet voice.

"I'm fine!" Judy said with her head still down, "It's just been a really long day."

Honey lifted an eyebrow at Nick. "Ain't it still before noon?"

Nick nodded. "Yeah, but we had a rough morning. She's fine," he said, "It's just been a really long day."

"That's what I just said!" Judy complained, head still horizontal on the table.

Honey raised eyebrows. "Well, anyways" she said slowly, "Good for you two! You do make just the cutest couple."

Judy thumped her head on the table once more and sighed. She sat up, smiling wanly up at the vixen.

"Thank you," she said with polite tiredness.

Nobody spoke for a long moment and as the silence started to stretch into awkwardness. Honey rescued them all by pulling out the pad and pen.

"So, you two ready to order?" she asked.

Nick realized hey hadn't even looked at the menus, although he was sure he didn't need to.

"I know what I want," he said,then nodded at Judy, "Though she may need a minute."

Judy rubbed her face with one paw. "I believe you said the omelets were good," she said and Nick started to nod then quirked an eyebrow.

"Wait… do rabbits eat eggs?" he asked.

Judy shrugged and yawned. "Mmmph… not often," she said and blinked her tired eyes, "But as long as they're loaded with veggies, I'm game."

Honey smiled. "Alright then, sugar," the vixen said and looked at Nick, "Your old usual, I take it?"

Nick leaned back and nodded, smiling, and Honey turned to Judy. "What you want in yours sweetie?" she asked.

Judy thought for a moment. "Cheddar cheese and every vegetable you got," she said., "But no onions, I hate onions. Oh, and extra spinach!"

Honey jotted down the order on her pad. "You got it sugar. Comes with toast, white or whole wheat?" Honey asked.

The vixen's constant use of 'sweetie' and 'sugar' started to grate on Judy, but she kept her irritation in check. "Whole wheat, please," Judy answered.

"And what side you want? We got that potato casserole Nicky told you about. Also have hash browns, grits, salad, baked beans, steamed vegetable medley, fried crickets, and curly fries," Honey said then leaned in to add in a conspiratorial tone, "I recommend the casserole."

Judy smiled at Nick. "Nick did give it high praise," she said, and Nick winked at her, "So I guess I'll go with that."

Honey jotted down the rest of the order and smiled. "Well, alright then. I'll leave you two lovebirds to talk," she said and headed back to the kitchen.

Judy blew a breath out, her cheeks puffing up. he constant focus by everyone on her and Nick's relationship was starting to wear very thin.

Nick had begun to tear open some sugar packets and pour them into his coffee. "So," he said, "Where were we?"

Judy started to adulterate her own coffee to creamy and sickly sweet. "I believe you were embarrassing me by commenting on certain… skills I have without any practical experience in such things," she said and tried her best to not let the embarrassment rise again. These were things you just didn't normally discuss in public, at least in her admittedly limited experience.

Nick's ears went up. "Right!" he said as he tore open another packet of sugar, "So you're telling me that you, a rabbit, a species known for its… um shall we say-"

Judy held up a paw to cut Nick off. "Yes, thank you. I think I get the idea," she said impatiently as she glanced around surreptitiously to see if anyone was listening, "Contrary to popular belief not all rabbits are sex crazed maniacs, and… um..." Judy's ears burned as her mind drifted back to last night then to her how most of her family viewed sex. "What I mean to say is we just have a lot of kits is all. It's a misconception," she finished hurriedly.

"Uh huh," Nick said with knowing smirk while dumping yet another packet of sugar into his coffee, "So you're just form a chaste little rabbit family from Bunnyburrow? How many brothers and sisters did you say you had, again?"

Judy's ears felt as if they were about to burst into flames. "I admit," she started slowly, avoiding Nick's grin, "That we may have a more, um, liberal view about such… matters. I'm just one of the few exceptions." There was a pause as Nick gave her an incredulous, but amused look. "What?" she asked then leaned forward to say in a near whisper, "It's not as if I don't… I didn't…" She stopped and sat back with a groan. "Just.. nevermind!"

Nick was entirely too entertained. _She is so cute when she's embarrassed,_ he thought. "So," Nick said as he picked up his spoon, "You were being conservative last night when you-"

Judy's eyes went wide. She waved her paws and shushed him in a manner reminiscent of an old time steam engine.

Nick's shoulders began to shake as he desperately fought not to laugh. "Okay, okay, " he said, "I give, Fluff, but do go on. Inquiring minds want to know!"

Judy closed her eyes and grunted tiredly. She rubbed paw over her face, but when she saw Nick's entirely too amused expression a grin tugged at her lips which eventually turning into a little snort of laughter. She smiled and shook her head. She had started to notice how all the little things that Nick did that she often found exasperating in the past now just made him all the more attractive to her. They both started to stir their coffee with a spoon and Judy focused her attention on this task, not looking at Nick.

She cleared her throat and refocused on the point she had been trying to make. "Sooo…" she said, drawing the word out and ducking her head a little as she did, "You were not, technically, the… first, but you were second. As far as I am concerned, you might as well have been my first. My first time..." She thought briefly of that one fumbling night with Billy years ago. She doubted she could blush any harder at this point. She cleared her throat and picked up the coffee to sip at it, but as she brought it to her muzzle said quickly, and quietly, "Er, anyway, we didn't get far. And I read a lot of romance novels."

Nick cocked his head and cupped a paw around one ear. "I'm sorry," he said, amusement in his voice, "What was that?"

Judy gave him a look, put the coffee cup down, and delicately clasped her paws together. "I said," she began, eyes looking down at a spot in the middle of the table, "I… read a lot of romance novels." She tongued her cheek, still not meeting Nick's gaze. Somehow, admitting that little guilty pleasure of hers was nearly as embarrassing as everything else.

Nick lazily continued to stir his coffee and rested his muzzle on a paw, giving her an appraising look. "Huh," he said, thinking about his little rabbit and how she had been very insistent and definitely in charge the previous night. "All that learned from romance novels, huh? I may have to start reading those to pick up some tips," he said. He put his spoon down and brought the coffee up for a sip. "Do I need to get a pirate outfit? Or a big white puffy shirt?"

Judy let out a little snort of laughter at the idea. Nick dressed up as one of the buff figures from the covers of her trashy novels was funny, but then pictured him as the swashbuckling lead from her favorite series. She almost choked on the air she was breathing He could definitely pull it off;. the year of training at the academy had left him toned and built. Her eyes darted away from eye contact with Nick, unable to look directly at him

Nick caught the look and gave her that slow smile with ears tilted slightly back. "I'll take that as a yes," he said and took another sip of coffee that managed to be lecherous, especially when coupled with the look he was giving her.

Judy made a little heated noise from the back her throat. That look. That damned look he gave her always instantly flipped the dial up to eleven. She broke the gaze and groaned, sitting back with a sigh.

"Anyways!" she said and waved her paw as if to clear the air, "I'm not talking about… that stuff… more the whole dating thing. The point is that you're older and have a lot more experience at this and I… I'm. " She paused to try to gather her thoughts before continuing, "All I know is just… I don't know… guessing and hearsay."

Nick frowned. "I'm thirty-three," Nick said, sounding affronted.

"What?" Judy asked, puzzled.

"I'm thirty-three. I'm not old.".

"I said you were older, not old!" she said.

Nick rolled his eyes and waved a paw at her. "It's a joke, Carrots," he said, "I'll explain it later."

Judy frowned. "Oh, okay," she said, still trying to figure out where the joke was lost on her.

"Judy, relax," he said then, "This isn't a test. This isn't something where you have a list of boxes to check off." Nick shrugged, "It just happens and you have to roll with it." He took another long sip of his coffee and thought for a few seconds "It's… one of those things in life where you think you can plan for it and be ready, but once you're in the middle of it, all bets are off."

Judy thought about this, covering the time by taking a sip of her juice instead of the coffee. She nodded. "I guess," she said, "I just… don't feel in control right now, and that bothers me. You just seem so calm about everything."

Nick gave a humorless little snort. "It's a front, Fluff. Never let them see they get to you, remember?" he asked.

Judy looked up at him, an ear cocked.

"Trust me Carrots, I'm as wound up and unsure of all this as you are, I just hide it better."

Behind the practiced, cool persona he presented, his stomach was tied into knots. He assumed he was more uncertain than Judy. His joy from last night was still almost tangible, , but after the morning, with Bogo and Honey, it had been tempered by irrational fear. He thought back to all of his prior failed relationships, and the idea of things with Judy going badly physically pained him. Normally, this would be the time when he'd shift the conversation to something else to avoid any introspection, but this time he either didn't want to or couldn't.

Not only could he not avoid it, but he actually wanted to tell her. He wanted to tell her everything about himself. For the first time in a very long time, he realized he wanted someone else to know about him. To _really_ know him. A lump built in his throat and that odd tightness in his chest rose again. _What has this rabbit done to me?_

Judy watched him from across the table. She watched his facade slowly fall. It was something she had only seen twice, the first being on the sky tram, and then second being last night. She could see Nick's expression slowly shift as he focused on her. "It… it's like I said last night," he said, his voice quiet with his attention wholly fixated on her now, "You do, I mean, you've done something to me. Things I've never told anyone, I want to tell to you."

A tightness built in Judy's chest. She sucked on her bottom lip absently as she listened.

"All the other relationships I've had, it was always me that walked away in the end," Nick continued, "Except in a couple of cases, but when they walked away from me, I was relieved. With you... the thought of that happening again scares me to death." Nick finally broke the intense look he was giving her and gazed down at his plate instead, "I'm scared that I'll screw this up and that I'll make the same mistakes. That I'll just end up hurting you."

Judy didn't know how to respond. Her own emotions were already strained and kept her from giving a coherent response. If she were a psychologist, she might call this 'a breakthrough' or 'progress.' Nick was opening up to her more and more, and the fact it was her he was allowing inside made her want to leap the table to just hug and hold him.

"I…" she started to say, but her thoughts were all jumbled again, and she just stared at Nick.

Nick gave himself a little shake, and she watched that facade of his slam back into place. He smiled, back to his usual sly looking self, except for the shining eyes.

"So!" He said, picking up the coffee for another sip, "Doesn't sound like your parents are big fans of foxes, hmm?"

Judy debated trying to steer the conversation back, wanting to see more of the real Nick she just had a glimpse of, but her better judgment told her to leave it. _One step at a time_ _Jude,_ she thought. She would let him open up to her in his own time. She may not be the savviest rabbit when it came to social interactions, but she knew pressing someone, and especially someone like Nick, was usually met with equal pushback. His words triggered an immediate, visceral reaction from her.

"Oh gods, my parents!" she mood immediately shifted to exasperation, "I can't believe they did that! How did they get the chief's external line?" She slumped back against the plush seat, "They are so overprotective and were so against me joining the force." She closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead, "I'm going to have to call them soon or they'll freak out again."

"How did they even find out?" Nick asked, mostly back in control of himself now, at least outwardly, "You said some uncle of yours?" Their call to the chief left him with several questions. It had seemed awful quick for word to spread to Bunnyburrow.

Judy made a disgusted sound and rolled her eyes. "My Uncle Benny," she explained, "He lives just outside the city and is, um,not quite all there, if you get what I mean. He must have gotten the early edition. I don't think he sleeps anymore."

Nick nodded and noticed Honey coming their way with a loaded tray.

"There's one in every family," he said just as Honey sidled up to the table carrying the tray laden with plates and small bowls.

Nick leaned back, and Honey picked up a plate.

"Here we go, you two," the vixen said, setting their plates down on the table.

Judy eyed the large omelet.

Honey put down two small side dish bowls with heaping piles of hash browns, slightly browned and crispy on top.

"There is no way I'm going to eat all this," Judy said, the portion way more than she could possibly put down, "But I'm going to try, because I am starving and have earned this."

"That's fine sugar, but you just wait until you try that casserole," Honey said, and Nick smiled up at her.

"Thanks, Honey," he said, and the vixen smiled back. Judy's was too distracted by the mountains of food in front of her to notice the strain on their faces.

"You just wave me down if you need anything!" Honey said and headed off to greet a smartly dressed tiger with a briefcase who just entered.

"Now," Nick said as he rolled his silverware out of the napkin it was wrapped in. Judy cocked an eyebrow at him, and he raised up a finger of one paw and his fork with the other. He reached over and scooped up a glob of the casserole from Judy's own bowl and held it up, "Open up."

Judy gave him a shy smile. She hadn't been fed by someone else since she was a kit, and the small gesture, to her, seemed exactly like the kind of thing couples would do. She leaned forward with her eyes locked on his, and opened her muzzle.

Nick gently inserted the rather hefty forkful of casserole into Judy's mouth. She closed it and pulled back and rolled the casserole around for a moment before her eyes went wide. There was the fried potato hash brown taste, cheddar cheese, cream cheese, and something else creamy that she could not immediately place. She was pretty sure there was onion in there too, but she was surprised that she didn't mind. It was simple, but the combination of it all was amazing. She brought a paw up to her muzzle, her eyes wide.

"Mmmrmmph!" she grunted. She had heard of something tasting orgasmic, and thought this definitely qualified for that. She swallowed some of it. "Oh my gods," she mumbled and quickly unwrapped her own silverware. She picked up the fork and loaded it up as she swallowed the rest of the first bite, "This is incredible," she said.

Nick raised his eyebrows and leaned forward on his elbows again and said in a hushed tone, "I know, right?" He scooped up some from his own bowl and took a bite.

"I don't even want the omelet anymore," Judy said around another mouthful, "I just want more of this."

"What did I tell ya, sweetie?" Honey said as she walked by, leading the tiger in the suit to a table farther back.

Nick made pleased noises himself as he savored the concoction. _I really have missed this stuff._ "I've not had this in forever," he said, watching Honey escort the tiger, "Tried to make it a few times, but it never came out right."

Judy proceeded to quickly demolish the small bowl of casserole. Not only was it delicious, but she was also desperately hungry. All the fat and starch flicked that switch in her brain that said 'Eat this! Eat all of this right now!'

Nick was not far behind as he finished off his own small bowl and licked his fork clean.

Judy realized that was the fork he had fed her with and it made something inside her inwardly squirm in pleasure. The small act of casual intimacy bore a smile on her face. _All these little things,_ she thought and sat back. She let out a contented sigh, feeling much better having some solid food in her.

"Better?" Nick asked, and Judy nodded.

"Much," she said, "But that stuff cannot be good for you."

"Oh, it isn't," Nick said with confidence. "You do not want to see the dietary information for it."

Judy felt a bit more civilized now. Between the morning's events and then making the questionable choice to go for a run, she realized some of her odd feeling was probably just due to low blood sugar. Between the juice, sweetened coffee, and food, she was starting to feel much better. Lethargy was starting to bloom inside her, and she leaned forward and picked up her fork again to keep eating before fullness found her.

"This also can't be good for me," she said as she watched cheese slowly ooze out of the omelet.

"Eh, I'm sure all those vegetables make up for it," Nick said as he munched on a slice of buttered toast while he cut into his omelet.

Judy snorted and took a bite. It was good, not nearly as good as that casserole, but it was still plenty good. "I'm going to have to come here again," she said between bites of egg and toast.

Nick hummed in agreement around a mouthful and waved his fork out at the diner in general.

"Told you it was good. I used to come here a lot. Even worked here for a little while a long time ago, but-" he said and swallowed. He had been going to say but haven't been here in like six years, but knew that line of conversation would just lead back to the one he was trying to avoid for now. "But," he continued after a brief pause, "It's been a while. You know, with the academy and such."

Judy picked up on this deflection easily enough. Nick had obviously not been here for a much longer time that he made it out to be. Honey's reaction to seeing him reinforced that belief, but she kept her unspoken promise to leave it until later.

Judy cocked an eyebrow. _Time to turn the table,_ she thought. "Let me get this straight, " she said, nibbling on a bit of toast and sounding deliberately skeptical, "You worked? Like work-worked? A real job work?"

"Ya know, rabbit," Nick said and narrowed his eyes as he shook a wedge of omelet on the end of his fork at her ominously, "I may not have reported my taxes, but hustling is work. You saw everything me and Finnick did, and that was just for pawpscicles."

Judy snorted. "Which," she said and pointed back at nick with her own formidable wedge of cooked egg, "By the way, I now realize I should have arrested you for in the first place! In no way was making those even remotely sanitary! I'm sure you broke two dozen food preparation codes!" She made a face. "And you were always eating them! I swear, every time I saw you before you went into the academy, you were eating one those things! How could you?"

Nick rolled his eyes and popped his cooling bit of omelet into his muzzle. He chewed thoughtfully for a moment. "First off," he said, "Those particular roof tiles are constantly scoured by a hot wind from the heat vents." He stabbed another bit of omelet and lifted it up. "Secondly, the snow in that part of Tundratown is new every morning," he said then popped the cheese oozing forkful into this muzzle and waggled his eyebrows at Judy.

"Ick," Judy said with a grimace.

Nick chuckled. "They were fine, " he said, "I never got sick, did I?"

Judy scoffed and Nick chuckled as they settled down to eat silence for a while. After several minutes, Judy set her fork down with still a good half of the omelet on her plate. She sat back, patting her belly.

"Oooh… I declare myself stuffed," she said and yawned, putting a paw over her open muzzle.

Nick ate a couple of more bites and sat back as well with a sigh of the contented. _Food was a good call_ , he thought before catching the yawn from Judy.

"Mmmph, stop that," he said.

Judy shook her head, and another yawn overcame her. "Can't… nnmmmm... help it," she said, "I'm beat."

With food in their stomachs, a heavy lethargy was starting to settle over them both that the coffee could not put a dent in it. Not only had they not gotten much in the way of sleep, but they were hitting the wall from working a full shift and attending the concert the day prior.

Honey paused in her way by. "Can I get you two anything else?" she asked. She spied Nick's nearly empty coffee cup, "More coffee?"

Nick gave Judy a questioning look and she shook her head. "No, I think we're good," Nick answered and started to fish his wallet out of the pocket of his shorts but Honey stopped him with a wave of a paw.

"Put that away. Your money's no good here, you know that."

Nick smiled, a bit sadly Judy thought.

"Thanks, Honey," Nick said up to the vixen without meeting her gaze.

"Now don't you be a stranger, I've... I've missed you. You come back soon, you hear? For that talk?" Honey asked.

Nick smiled and nodded, still not looking up. "I'll, uh, do that," he said, but silently debated the honesty of that promise.

Judy watched Honey pad off and how Nick had begun to fidget by starting to tear one of the empty sugar packets into tiny bits. She stifled another sudden yawn. _I am going to get to the bottom of this_ , she thought and pushed her arms and legs out in a stretch, _but not right now._

"So," Nick said, "Your place to get some clothes, then what? We got all day still before MacNelly's."

Judy thought about that while she twisted her torso to the right, using a paw behind her elbow to pull her arm and stretch the muscles and joints.

"Honestly," she said as she twisted the other way, letting out a little grunt, "I didn't think that far ahead." Nick started to scoot out of the seat and Judy followed, "But, you know, I could really use nap so… so my place first then can we just, I don't know, go back to your place and nap for a bit?" she asked. The shyness of her question wasn't lost on Nick, and the sincerity of it made his heart skip a beat.

He smiled as they walked towards to door, more than happy at the thought of snuggling up with Judy for a nap.

"I don't see why not. I think this meets our 'being seen' quota for the day," he said, surrounding 'being seen' with air quotes.

They had just about reached the entrance, Nick extending an arm to open the door for Judy when Honey called out.

"Nick?" the vixen said, walking up to them.

Nick froze. _I knew it, I knew she wouldn't keep her muzzle shut and just let me walk out,_ Nick thought. He tensed and turned slowly.

Judy watched Nick's expression change as he turned. His ears cocked forward and his posture was suddenly stiff. He smiled, but it was not the slow easy smile she was so used to. It was jerky and erratic, as if he was forcing each individual muscle to move. The fur on his neck even began to slowly stand up.

Honey could not have missed the fake parody of congeniality Nick was trying to force.

"Nick," Honey said and reached out to rest a paw lightly on his shoulder, "I just wanted… I just wanted to say that your momma would be so proud."

Nick visibly swallowed, that strained smile still on his muzzle. He nodded. "Thanks, Honey," he said in a calm voice, "I'm sure you're right. We'll talk soon, I promise." He then turned abruptly and walked out the door not waiting for Judy.

Judy blinked and started to follow. She gave one last look up at Honey, but the vixen didn't look at her. Instead, her gaze followed Nick with a sad and sorrowful expression. She pushed the door open and hurried out. Nick had started to walk in the direction of the nearest subway entrance, paws stuffed in the pockets of his shorts. Judy hurried to catch up with him. She didn't say anything and just silently walked next to him, letting him decide if he wanted to explain. . The shift back and forth between calm and tension had been so bizarre, and she wanted to know what the heck had happened between these two. It was obviously a major event in Nick's life, and not knowing was driving her crazy. There was clearly some deep hurt here. She ached to help him, but she wasn't sure how and decided to just let her company be enough until he was ready. After a time, he did speak.

"You remember what that old wolf said last night?" he asked quietly, his eyes looking down at the sidewalk, "About all the faults and foibles?"

Judy nodded. "Yes," she said voice soft, looking up at him. For the third time in twelve hours she watched his mask drop.

"This is kind of one of those things," he said taking a big breath. He took a paw out his shorts to rub a thumb at the corner one eye then the other. "I'm...ugh, broken, in a lot of ways," he said and paused trying to pull together what he wanted to say. He wanted to say nothing, but he knew that just staying quiet was out of the question with Judy.

"I've had a hard life," he said eventually, "I've done okay for myself for a while now, but I am… I was… still just a hustler, a con artist. Not exactly how I imagined my life would go when I was a kid. Not exactly an easy life. Not what my mom wanted for me."

Judy's ears fell and she looked down at the sidewalk as they continued to walk. She didn't really know much about his past, just the little bits here and there he had shared with her on the rare occasion. Now that she'd been in the city for a year and seen its darker side, she had a better idea what it might have been. What it could have been. While she was confronted with prejudice of being a small bunny, and a doe, at that, when she came here, that was nothing compared to the way society generally treated foxes. It made her think of her parents that day at the train station in Bunnyburrow, when she'd left to come to the city. Even out in the country, foxes were viewed with suspicion and distrust more often than not. Probably more so. Her thoughts were interrupted when Nick sighed suddenly and brought both paws up, fingers rubbing at his eyes.

"This was all a mistake," he said, fatigue and sadness in his voice. He knew he had to face all this eventually. Then again he had been telling himself that for a long time now. _Just why today?_ asked himself.

Judy stumbled as those words registered and she stopped.

Nick walked on a few steps, not noticing.

"Wha... what?" she said, her voice cracking.

Nick immediately heard the hurt in Judy's voice and looked down, then turned with his ears up and alert and eyes wide to see Judy standing there as she looked up at him. Nick thought about what he'd said and instantly understood what he'd done. In an instant he was in front of Judy and down on one knee. She stared at him with tears starting to fill her eyes.

"No, no, no! Carrots! Judy!" he said quickly and took her paws in his, looking into her eyes, "Judy, I wasn't talking about us!"

"You... you weren't?" she asked, her voice wavering but hopeful.

Nick gave a nervous little laugh and shook his head. "No... no," he said and pulled her paws to his muzzle and kissed the back of each in turn, "I was talking about going to Honey's. I thought it would be okay, but… well, obviously things didn't go as I had hoped."

Judy fought to pull herself under control, but it was a battle she ultimately lost. The relief from realizing she'd misunderstood stripped her of what little control she had left. She was tired, the food was making her mind foggy, and emotionally she was at her limit. She blinked rapidly, her face contorting as she let out a little hiccuping sob.

Nick pulled her into an embrace and she wrapped her arms tightly around him and buried her face into his neck fur. She weakly pounded on his back with loosely coiled fists.

"Oh, geez, Carrots, I'm sorry," Nick said and hugged her tightly to him and Judy let out another small sob. He was't used to a vulnerable Judy Hopps.

"You… you stupid… dumb… fox!" Judy cried into Nick's fur, but the relief in her voice was evident. It made Nick feel warm and more than a little protective.

"Told you I suck at dating," he said quietly, one paw cradling the back of Judy's head while the other slowly rubbed her shuddering back. "You bunnies… so emotional."

Judy let out a little half laugh, half sob and squeezed him tighter.

"You going to be okay?" Nick asked and he felt her nod against him, sniffing loudly. She turned her head and rubbed her cheek against his shoulder and slowly pulled herself under control. She blinked and swallowed, sniffling again as she looked across the street.

"Nick…" she said slowly, her voice still high but sounding more normal now.

"Yeah, Carrots?" Nick said.

"There's a giraffe across the street taking pictures of us."


	6. Chapter 6 - Reconciliation

"What?!" Nick said and jerked his head around.

The giraffe was standing across the road a small way down from them, casually dressed and holding a camera with a large telephoto lens on it. He was now trying to look as if he was taking pictures of the building or storefronts, but Judy had seen him pointing that lens in their direction.

"Great," Nick said, "Our very own paparazzi. How much you want to bet Stretch over there is the one who took those pictures last night?"

"You think so?" Judy asked, stepping back from the embrace, wiping at her eyes. Her voice sounded normal now, but she was still shaken.

Nick grunted. "That, or the mayor and city hall wasted no time sticking some PR goon on us," he said, "But those pictures in the paper were taken from a distance and from higher up, so it fits."

Judy didn't respond. She hadn't really looked at the newspaper pictures in any great detail. She sniffed one last time and rubbed her eyes.

Nick looked down at her, and his anger toward the photographer grew from a simmer into a roiling boil. _Alright,_ he thought, _enough of this._ He looked back and forth down the street searching for a cab. Luck he'd only had back in his hustling days seemed to be with them as he spotted one coming their way. If it was free or not was another matter, but Nick stepped to the curb and started waving his paw as the cab drew closer.

Judy looked up at him, her eyes puffy and a little bloodshot.

"We can't keep taking cabs, Nick," she said in a tired, disinterested voice, "It's too expensive."

"Don't care," Nick said, looking down at Judy with concern. The cab, thankfully pulled over to the curb, "I need to get you somewhere else."

"What?" Judy asked, puzzled.

Nick pulled the door of the cab open before it had even fully come to a stop and ushered Judy into the back seat.

"Just shush and let me be all male and protective," Nick said. Before ducking into the cab, he looked back at the giraffe who once more had his camera pointed at them again. Nick made a V with two fingers and pointed them at his eyes, then pointed at the giraffe before sliding in next to Judy. She lay against the opposite door. who was subdued and looked ready to fall asleep, and he couldn't blame her. He put a protective arm around her and pulled her close. She snuggled up to him, resting her head on his chest.

"You know where Grand Pangolin Arms apartments are?" Nick said to the cabbie, who turned to look at him. Nick blinked. "Oh, it's you." It was the same cabbie that had dropped them off at the ZPD a couple of hours prior.

Judy looked between the cabbie and Nick and sat up a little. The cabbie stared back at the both of them in the rear view mirror and gave him a tired little smile.

"Me again!" said the old lion with a laugh, "What are the odds, eh? I was still in the area, and yeah, I know the place."

"Good," Nick said and turned his head to look back briefly, seeing what the photographer was doing. He was still standing there, snapping pictures of them in the cab, but didn't seem to be interested in following. "Take us there."

"You got it," the lion said, "You guys okay? Kinda seem a bit out of sorts back there."

Nick spared one more glance back and snorted. "The notoriety is wearing thin right now."

"Gotcha, kid," the lion said. The cab started to move without anyone making further comments.

Nick wasn't sure if the lion knew them because of what was in the paper or from the missing mammals case, but he was grateful that he caught onto the mood and didn't try to engage in any small talk. Nick had a question of his own, though.

"Hey, buddy," he said to the cabbie, who looked at him briefly in the rearview mirror, "Uh, this morning did you, um, smell anything odd?"

The cabbie blinked and raised his eyebrows before patting the side of his muzzle with a finger. "Nah," he said, "I can hardly smell anything these days. Why ya ask?"

"Uh," Nick said, clearing his throat, "It's nothing, just curious."

The cabbie gave Nick a grin and a wink in the mirror Judy didn't to see.

Judy's ears did perk the at the question, but wasn't much interested in the answer. She opted to rest against Nick's side as they traveled the short distance without further conversation. When they arrived a few minutes later, Nick reached into his pocket for his wallet.

"Forget it, kid," the old lion cabbie said, waving him down with a paw, "You gave me three times what that fare was worth this morning. This is on me."

"Thanks," Nick said, and gave the cabbie a grateful smile. Free breakfast and an honest cabby all in one day, he mused, I gotta get in trouble more often. The strangeness of the whole situation was starting to catch up to him. He'd never been generous. It wasn't that he couldn't be generous, but more often than not, it had usually been calculating, like with Finnick. Finnick was a friend, but at times it boiled down to a 'working' relationship with Nick being the mastermind of whatever scheme he was up to at the time, and Finnick being there to help or assist. He shared the profits of those ventures with him, and even gave him a bit more than expected most of the time. Not because Finnick was a friend, though, that was part of it.

No, it was because he knew that little bit of calculated generosity would pay dividends when he needed the big-eared little fox again in the future. Now, here was this cabbie giving them a free lift because Nick had given him a huge tip earlier. Not that Nick would have normally done that — he had just been in a hurry, but the result of that unintentional act was now paying off an unexpected way. _What had Mister Big called it? Paying it forward?_ he thought. He'd heard the phrase before, but only now did it actually click.

Judy yawned and sat up straight. "Thank you, that's very kind," she said.

"Yes sir, thank you," Nick said. Manners were another thing that never hurt and were free as well.

"Don't mention it," the cabbie said, turning to watch them out his open driver side window as the two climbed out of the cab, "Seein' you two makes me feel young again. My first wife, rest her soul, was an antelope. You can imagine the jokes we used to hear," he said with a chuckle.

Well, that kind of gives it away, Nick thought. Must have seen the paper. Or who knows, perhaps he's just a net addict and read it online if what Clawhauser apparently said is true… I would bet money that pudgy ball of fluff is the main reason it's online in the first place.

Nick also thought about the wolf and ewe in the train last night, of McHorn saying "My cousin is datin' a grizzly bear," and how strange it was with all these interspecies couples seeming to come out of the woodwork. _Perhaps not so strange,_ he thought. Interspecies relationships were not that uncommon. Predator-prey relationships were not unheard of either, but they were certainly more rare. There was stigma still stuck to such relationships, so it wasn't something you commented on or drew attention to. Nick guessed since he and Judy had become public, it opened mammals up to talking about it, like it was some secret club they were now members of.

"Oh, yes sir," Nick said to the cabbie, thoughts drawn back to Honey's "Nicholas Wilde are you datin' a rabbit girl?" and again to McHorn "Ain't you guys supposed to be like fire and ice?"

"I certainly can imagine," Nick said with wry humor, "And I'm certain we're in for every fox and rabbit joke in the book."

"Oh you are, trust me," the cabbie said, laughing, "There'll be some jerks too, but screw those guys. As long as you two love each other, that's what counts."

Nick smiled and nodded without comment.

Judy, standing beside Nick, looked up at him fondly, "I think we have that covered," she said.

"Good!" the cabbie said then waved one big paw, "I'll see you kids around."

Nick and Judy waved back, and the cab started to pull away. Nick looked down at Judy and just chuckled, shaking his head.

"Brave new world, Carrots," he said. Judy smiled and grabbed his arm, tugging him to the entrance of the Pangolin Arms. It was rather shabby looking Nick thought, but then his own apartment building didn't look much better from the outside.

"Perhaps so," she said, "But the world better watch out. I got a fox, and I know how to use him!"

Nick barked out a laugh as they climbed the steps.

Judy unlocked and opened the door to her apartment.

Nick's ears fell.

"Carrots, you have got to be kidding me," Nick said as he followed Judy in, looking around. Not that one had to do much looking. "This isn't an apartment," Nick said, "I wouldn't even call it a hole in the wall. That would be an insult to respectable holes everywhere."

"I know! I know!" Judy said. She went to sit on her bed that took up nearly a third of the small space. "I don't see the point in much else right now," she said and stretched her legs out, "I don't need a lot of space, and it lets me save up money for something else."

Nick snorted. "Unless you're getting robbed, you should have saved up enough to put a sizeable down payment on a house, even on our pay," Nick said, closing the door behind him.

The room was not much different from when Judy had first moved in. The desk was now covered with papers and carrot orange sticky-notes, most of it looking police related. There was a small stack of books on the windowsill near the head of her bed and a few more odds and ends in the bowl on the table by the door, but that was it.

Judy sighed and looked around her small room. "It's super cheap, and I didn't bring anything other than what I could stuff in my suitcase with me from Bunnyburrow," she said, "And I'm hardly ever here anyways. I basically just sleep here." Judy flopped back on the bed, her arms spread, with her long ears just pressing up against the wall.

Nick strode to the window and looked out. "My, my, what a lovely view, too," he said, looking at the dull buildings across the way and down to the street below.

Judy grunted, her eyes closed, but made no response other than that.

Nick looked down to the books on the windowsill. He picked up a few, looking at each in turn. 'Death on the Savanna' read one with, of course, a buff lion on the cover in a billowing white shirt and leather pants, and holding up an apparently unconscious and scantily dressed female zebra. Another of the books read 'The Emperor of the Night' in bold, dark, wispy lettering and its cover showing a roguish looking buff panther holding a leash attached to a collar around the neck of a kneeling female deer. The third book was titled 'The Wanton Wench' and portrayed a rather attractive, tall and leggy female jack rabbit on what appeared to be a pirate ship and being eyed by various species of sailors. Nick noticed that said sailors were predators, and were leering at the rabbit hungrily while doing their work.

Nick raised his eyebrows. _I'm starting to sense a pattern here,_ he thought. He went to put the books back when he spotted one that had been under the three he picked up. The cover was plain, some kind of dark texture, but the stylized words stood out - 'Fifty Shades of Prey.' Nick put the other books down and picked that one up with a disgusted noise. He held it up, half turned to Judy, "Really, Carrots?" he said.

Judy cracked a tired eye open and looked over at him. She made a face and slapped her paws down on the bed. "Don't judge me!" she whined, and Nick chuckled, tossing the book down.

Judy made a little groan then and looked over at Nick. She lifted one arm and made grabby motions with her paw. "Can we just nap here? I don't think I can get up again," she said wearily.

Nick moved to the bed and sat down, taking Judy's paw. The bed was on the small side, but the both of them could lay on it together comfortably enough. He didn't complain, either, when he had to snuggle just a bit closer to fit.

"I don't see why not," Nick said and helped Judy up so they could lay properly along its length. They settled, Judy facing the wall and Nick spooning her small form from behind, her head tucked under his muzzle. He wrapped one arm around her, and she made a pleased sound as she wiggled back against him.

Judy yawned and rubbed at her nose with a paw. "So glad Pronk and Bucky are not home," she said sleepily.

"The two obnoxiously loud neighbors?" Nick asked as he nuzzled the top of Judy's head.

Judy made a tired 'mmhmm' and yawned again. "They... mmm… argue constantly," she murmured, "I swear the other day I heard Bucky yell 'You shut your 'bleeping' mouth when you want to talk to me!' How does that even make any sense?"

Nick chuckled. He looked forward to experiencing what Judy termed 'The Pronk and Bucky Show.'

"It takes all kinds," Nick said and shifted a bit, snuggling closer to Judy.

Judy's breathing deepened and slowed, and Nick's eyes started to drift closed. Both of them were asleep within moments.

* * *

Nick was awakened by the sound of thunder. It wasn't close, just a low bass rumble that faintly rattled the thin single glass panes of the window.

The room was dim; the thick clouds had finally turned the sky completely overcast and dark. They were in the same position they had been in when they fell asleep, but Nick's sleep had been filled with disquieting and unsettling dreams. He tried to recall what they were, but the memories were already fading, leaving him with a vague sense of unease. The feeling ebbed, however, when he ducked his head to look at Judy. She was still soundly asleep, mouth half open, and making an adorable little snore with each breath.

Nick lifted his head and looked back at the digital clock on Judy's desk. 2:42 p.m. was displayed in bright green digital numbers. Nick was surprised and lay his head back down. They had slept the better part of six hours and had hardly moved. _Then again,_ he thought, _we did get around three hours of sleep last night._

Nick's mind began to drift. He stared blankly at the rather grungy looking wallpaper and thought about this new strange turn in his life. Less than a day had gone by, and he felt like a different fox. He tried to examine the thoughts and feelings flowing through him, not something he often did. He was not one for self-introspection, it too often lead to dark thoughts that didn't do him or the ones around him any good. He had learned a long time ago to just bury and ignore certain feelings, certain memories. It had worked well enough… until he met a certain rabbit who somehow made these things come to the surface and refuse to be stowed back under.

He sighed. He thought about Honey's and his reaction this morning. It seemed childish now. Of all the mammals in his life, Honey was the one he had wronged the most and through no fault of her own. In fact, just the opposite. She had done a lot for Nick and his mother, right up until the end. He suddenly felt ashamed of how he had treated her, how he had avoided her all these years. _Tomorrow morning,_ he thought, _I'm going to go there and mend that bridge._ That thought led to another memory he had avoided for even longer.

 _Not that far away… what, six... seven blocks?_ He thought and wrestled with the idea, parts of his mind trying to talk him out of it but he knew he had to do it. He debated about waking Judy, having her come with him. He knew he could use the support, but that sounded like a cop out in his head. This was something he needed to do himself.

Slowly and carefully, Nick disengaged himself and sat on the edge of the bed. He started mentally psyching himself up to do this. Part of him said it was a bad time, considering the stressful events of the day, while another part chastised himself for continued cowardice. The shame of that thought is what sealed it. It was either do it now, or lose the nerve for who knows how long.

It wasn't just seeing Honey again that had brought all this on either, although she certainly had been the catalyst. Nick had been thinking about his mother more and more in the days leading up to his graduation. Her absence has stung particularly bad that day. He so badly wanted to turn to her and see that pride in her eyes. Look, mom, look at me! He so badly wanted to re-write those last years.

His eyes swum, his jaw clenched, and his paws balled into fists. He swallowed hard and carefully got up. He sniffed and wiped the back of a paw across his eyes, letting out a shaky breath. He looked down at Judy, still fast asleep, then went to look out the window. It was raining, but not hard. It was more a slow, light drizzle. A 'soaker' as Judy would call it. And of course, it was raining… that almost seemed like an omen if ever there was one. Cliché, but appropriate... he figured getting rained on was the very least he deserved.

He also couldn't just leave and risk Judy waking up with him gone without explanation. He looked around then quietly moved to Judy's desk. He found a non-carrot pen and wrote a quick note on one of the small square pads. He peeled it off, and at first was going to stick it to the door, but grinned as he got a better idea. He slowly leaned over the bed and ever so gently stuck the note to Judy's cheek.

* * *

Judy awoke with a jerk and rolled onto her back. She blinked up at the ceiling, disoriented. She tried to sit, then flopped back with a groan with her paws going to her sore stomach and sides. Lying motionless for so long had allowed her abused muscles to stiffen up again. _I do a hundred sit-ups and other core exercises every other day,_ she thought, how can I be this sore? It wasn't as bad as this morning, but it still hurt, and she grimaced at the thought of tomorrow. It was that second day after exercise that was usually the worst for muscle soreness.

Slowly her mind began to fully wake, and she blinked again; something had flicked her flight or fight response and woken her out of a dead sleep. She lifted her head and looked around, realizing Nick was not there.

"Nick?" she asked to the dim, empty room as if he could possibly be hiding somewhere unseen in the cramped apartment. She felt something sticking to her face and brought a paw up, pulling the note off her cheek fur. She turned it around, suddenly nervous of what she might find there.

 _Carrots,_

 _Something I had to take care of. Back soon._

 _Love,_

 _Nick_

Relief flooded through Judy. She thought, for just the briefest of moments, that it would have been some kind of note about how it all had been a mistake and that he had to go, or some other equally awful possibility. She looked over at the clock; 2:52 p.m. She had no idea how long he'd been gone. A small ache built in her chest as the small amount of hurt from Nick not waking her grew.

She thought about calling him before she remembered her phone was out of power; she and Nick had both come back to her apartment and collapsed. She hadn't thought to plug it in before they dozed off together. She huffed as she stood up out of the bed and pulled the drained device out of her pocket.

"Crackers," she cursed and went to her 'desk' to fish the charging cable out from under a notebook. She plugged the phone in and the little green 'charging' icon popped up. She then padded to the door and opened it to duck her head out to look up and down the hall. No Nick. Her nose wriggled. She was pretty sure she could smell him in the air, so he couldn't have left more than a few minutes ago. His distinct smell of fox unmistakeable.

She closed the door and thought about what to do. She guessed she could just get her things together to head over to Nick's and wait for him to return, but she knew that waiting would have her literally hopping off, and very possibly through, the thin walls. She walked over to the window and unlatched it. She grunted as she shimmied it back and forth to get the worn wooden frame to reluctantly slide up. It was lightly raining, and off in the distance, she could hear a low rumble of thunder. She looked back and forth down the street.

There were not many animals out, most that were sported umbrellas of various sizes and colors, but she did a double take when her eyes registered that distinctive russet color of Nick's fur. Sure enough, there he was about a block away. She pulled her head in and shut the window. She thought and put paws on her hips, her foot rapidly tapping like it did when she was trying to make a quick decision. It only took a moment for her to make up her mind to follow him.

She grabbed her umbrella under the table left. She paused long enough to lock her door, then quickly made her way down the stairs and outside into the dreary afternoon. She didn't want to waste even a second opening the umbrella as she darted in the direction Nick had been walking. She gritted her teeth as her sore muscles complained, but forced herself to move. She deftly dodged a few pedestrians, some of who turned their heads to follow her rush down the sidewalk.

Finally, she caught sight of Nick when she was within a half block of him, catching glimpses of his red-furred head and tail through the few mammals walking out in the rain. She opened her umbrella and wiped a paw over her head and down her ears, flicking water away as she started to keep pace with Nick. She made sure to keep her eyes on him, ready to dart into the shelter of a storefront or building or even use her umbrella to shield herself in the event he turned around. Nick did not turn around, however, but he did make a left turn onto Herd Street and strode out of view. Judy picked up the pace and peeked around the corner when she got to it.

Nick continued to walk, and Judy thought he looked like his clothes was getting drenched. She figured his fur was doing a good job at staying reasonably dry, but either way, it didn't seem to be bothering him.

Judy let him pull a bit ahead again and moved to resume her tailing. _Where the heck is he going?_ she wondered as she padded after him.

After another block Nick suddenly stopped and backed up a few steps, and Judy ducked into the nearest storefront. He was looking at something in a window, and after almost a full minute, he walked into the store. Judy had no idea what the place was, she could not see any signage from this angle, but she backed into the alcove and waited patiently.

After about five minutes Nick re-emerged and continued walking, stuffing a small plastic bag into a pocket of his shorts. Judy started to follow him again when he ducked into another store right next to the first. She stopped, puzzled, and moved back into the recess she had been standing in. She looked back over her shoulder, making sure she was not drawing the attention of any irate shop owner, but the interior of this particular place was dark and a 'Sorry! We're Closed!' sign was hung on the door. _Good_ , she thought.

She resumed her watch, nose twitching, and waited. Nick was in this new place a bit longer, but when he finally did step back out, he had a small bouquet in one paw. It was too far to see exactly, but there were white, purple, and red flowers in the mix. Judy narrowed her eyes, trying to make them out. She knew her flowers and was pretty sure that purple ones were orchids and the red ones were roses, while the white ones could be any number of things.

Initially, she chided herself for following Nick when he just wanted to pick her up flowers, but he didn't turn back toward her apartment. Instead, he walked right out to the street and started looking back and forth, watching the traffic. Judy ducked back, hoping she wasn't spotted. _Now where is he going?_ she wondered anxiously as she peeked out as Nick started crossing when the traffic opened up enough to allow him to hurry across. She watched from her hiding spot as Nick resumed walking on the other side of the street, but then ducked into the entrance to the park that was right there. It took a moment for Judy to realize what she thought was a park wasn't at all.

She had been so focused on Nick she lost her bearings. The entrance Nick had walked into was flanked by two rough fieldstone pillars, the outsides slightly angled. Bridging the two pillars was a wrought iron arch which held the words "Morningside City Cemetery."

"Oh, Nick," Judy whispered, her ears falling. She debated turning around right there. This seemed like personal business she shouldn't meddle in, and Nick obviously wanted to do this on his own, but something told her she had to follow him. She swallowed hard as her curiosity got the better of her. She closed her umbrella and darted across the street when the traffic opened up again and hurried to the entrance.

The cemetery was lush and had plenty of trees scattered throughout, so if she lost sight of Nick, she might lose him entirely through the confusion of vegetation and tombstones. His red fur stood out against the green and gray as he moved through the cemetery, and she tracked him without much trouble. She was prepared to duck behind the multitude of trees or large headstones should he turn around, but again, he never turned. He just marched on with his head forward.

Other than the two of them, the cemetery was nearly deserted. She saw a portable pavilion set up on one small hill a ways ahead, chairs lined up in neat rows under it. She saw a large mound of dirt as well, the grave still open and a tall figure in a black suit was striding purposefully through the tombstones away from the pavilion. They were too far away in the haze of rain to tell what species they were, but Judy thought they looked disproportionately tall. They might have been an undertaker, Judy thought, or perhaps a funeral director working on the preparations for an imminent funeral. Other than that one solitary figure, though, Judy only saw Nick.

Nick continued through the cemetery until he reached an area that was devoid of tombstones. Instead, there were simple small plaques set into the ground. This was the area for those who didn't have a lot to spend on an expensive plot and equally expensive tombstone.

Nick stopped and looked back and forth, seeming to search. He keyed on something and turned off to the left, walking and looking down at the plaques as he passed, appearing to read each one.

Judy closed the distance between them, walking out of the forest of tombstones, instead of stepping behind trees as she followed.

Nick finally stopped at one marker, staring down at it for long seconds.

Judy perked her ears and stepped out from behind a tree, slowly and quietly closing the distance She suddenly didn't care if she was spotted now.

Nick kneeled on both knees and leaned over, brushing debris from the marker. He gently laid the flowers on the plaque and Judy just barely heard him as he spoke in a voice high and tense with emotion.

"Um, hi, Mom," he said. "Brought you some flowers. I know I haven't exactly talked with you in a while. Uh, sorry about that. I'd say I was busy, but you always could tell when I was lying."

Judy's paw flew to her mouth as she realized just what she was intruding on.

"Things have… whew, things have really changed, Mom. For the better, I mean. No more scams and cons, if you can believe it! In fact, I, er, actually became a cop." Nick barked a single, dry laugh into the drizzling rain. "I know, I know, crazy, right? Me, a police officer. I've got my partner to thank for it, too. I wish you could meet her; I think you'd like her."

Tears welled at the corners of Judy's eyes as Nick continued.

"I was thinking about you when I graduated. It was almost like you were there in the crowd, smiling at me and taking pictures on a disposable camera. You'd probably fuss at me to keep my uniform tidy and crisp. I t-think you'd be really proud of me. But then I think how could you be proud, when I-"

His voice began to break, and he was still for several more moments before continuing. "I-I wasn't there, Mom. How could you be proud of me ever when I couldn't even be there for you. What kind of son am I..."

He was still and quiet for several more long moments before Judy saw raise his arms to the sky, shaking, before bringing them back down and tugging on his ears. She couldn't see, but tears began streaming down his face, masked by the rain..

"Y-You deserved better, Mom. I wasn't there, and I should have been. I'm so sorry…"

Judy's heart broke for him, and she hurried forward as Nick broke down completely in wracking sobs. She reached him and placed a paw on his heaving back. He didn't react or give any indication that he knew she was there. He rocked back and forth as he let his ears go and slid his paw down over his muzzle and neck. He crossed his arms over his chest as if clutching something tightly to himself

"I wasn't there..." he choked out between sobs.

Judy tossed the still closed umbrella to the ground and stepped up next to him. She pulled him to her. He didn't resist. Judy let him lean his head against her chest and cry while she cradled him as best she could.

"I wasn't there," he said again. His body shook with each sob.

His arms dropped limply, and Judy wrapped hers around his head, hugging him to her and holding him while his tears continued to flow. She rested her cheek against the top of his head, between his flattened ears. She did the only thing she could think to do - be there for him. She pressed her head against his while the rain soaked them both down to their bones.


	7. Chapter 7 - It Can't Rain Forever

They sat there in the lightly falling rain for long minutes, Judy cradling Nick's head as he cried. She gently stroked the back of his neck with one small paw and waited. Eventually, Nick started to quiet as his shuddering sobs slackened to breathless panting. He sniffed loudly, wiped his nose with the back of one paw, then rubbed the palm of the same paw against one eye.

"I knew you were following me," he said, voice barely above a whisper.

Judy smiled sadly. "Why I am not surprised," she said her own voice quiet. She stroked and held him against her chest.

"When did you see me?" she asked.

Nick gulped and took a big breath, letting it out slowly. "When I was crossing the street," he said and sniffed again, "was pretty sure that was you ducking back into that doorway."

"Why didn't you want me to come with you?" Judy asked after a few seconds, her voice soft, and gentle.

Nick was quiet for a time and then slowly sat back up. Judy let him go. He sat back on his legs and wiped at his face again. He still wasn't exactly sure why he hadn't wanted Judy to come with him. Perhaps he didn't want her to see him like this, or maybe he felt the guilt was his own to deal with. He didn't really know.

"I did," he said finally, voice monotone, "I debated waking you, but... I don't know. It just seemed like something I had to do myself."

His control faltered, and he felt another wave of emotion rising in his throat, not from guilt or sorrow but just the fact she had come. That she cared enough to follow him through the rain and be there when he needed her most. He turned his head to her and suddenly let out a choked sob, "I'm glad you did."

Judy stepped up close to him and lifted her paws, cupping his muzzle with one and turned his head towards her. Her other paw stroked his cheek as he seemed to wrestle with his emotions again. She was, honestly, not sure what to do. She had never seen Nick anywhere near like this before and she found it rather alarming. ' _I'm broken in a lot of ways'_ , she remembered him saying earlier. She knew he was hurting, and that made her hurt too. She was desperate to help him but wasn't sure how. This kind of pain, this kind of emotion was not something she had any experience with. Sure, she had lost others close to her before... a grandmother, a couple of friends, but never anything like this.

She recalled her grandmother's funeral, and how unreal it had felt. She even remembered, too young to really comprehend, waving and saying 'bye bye!' as the simple wooden casket was lowered into the ground in one of the far fields.

She still had both her parents, though, and could not imagine what Nick must have gone through, not only not having a father but also losing his mother... however that had happened. Everything she had experienced so far paled in comparison, and she felt woefully inept and uncertain.

A small part of her, the small, cowardly part everybody had that didn't want to face adversity, change, or open itself to others spoke up and said, _What if this all IS a mistake? What if Nick is just a mess and we should just end it? Break it off before things really become a mess?_ That same part of her went on to try and rationalize and justify the thoughts.

What did she know of Nick, really? More than she had before, certainly, but she had heard stories from others about relationships going horribly wrong, about how Mister Right had turned out to be Mister Wrong with too many issues to deal with. What if Nick was too broken to fix? Was it her job to fix him? _No,_ she thought internally _, No, I can't fix Nick if he is really broken...that isn't my job...but that's not the point._

She was suddenly drawn back to the old couple on the train again. _Faults and Foibles_ , she thought, but there was more to it than just that, that was too simplistic in retrospect. She realized that you didn't just have to like each other or put up with each other's quirks and annoying habits… You had to _help_ each other, and sometimes help the other carry or deal with a burden they could not by themselves. _Like now._ She smiled sadly at Nick, his eyes bleak and miserable as he stared at her.

Nick's mind was in turmoil. He was having difficulty in putting together any coherent thoughts, but he did see Judy looking back at him. Her eyes were searching, as if in thought, then they looked into his and her expression softened, a sad smile on her face and she stroked his cheek.

"You don't have to do this alone anymore, Nick," she said softly, her own eyes blinking as they teared up and the love she felt for this goofy, snarky, sweet, devious fox suddenly swelled and made her chest tight. She stroked his cheek ruff again, wiped the tears out of the corner of one of his eyes with a thumb, and leaned in to gently place a kiss on the end of his muzzle. Slightly runny nose or not, she didn't care. "I'll help you from now on," she said.

Nick blinked at her and swallowed.

She stroked Nick's cheek and up over one soft ear. "You said you were broken in a lot of ways this morning, " she said, "and... and I can't fix you Nick, I think only you can fix yourself but… perhaps I can be the glue to help you with that." It sounded corny, even to her. _So what,_ she thought.

Nick looked at her for a long moment, Judy holding her paw against his cheek, staring intently at him. He felt absurdly grateful and a subdued but growing, joy like the night before. At the same time, however, he felt guilty, ashamed, and completely unworthy of Judy.

"I've never had anyone, not really… not like this," he said, voice still rough, "I can't help feeling I don't deserve you."

Judy's smile widened some. "We're starting to sound like one of my romance novels," she said, getting a small snort of amusement from Nick, "But that is not your decision... I've decided that you do deserve me, and that, my silly sweet fox, is that... end of discussion."

Nick gave her a kind of smile and look she had not seen on him before, it almost seeming shy or bashful. He turned his head from her and she let her arms fall, letting one paw rest on his shoulder instead, wanting to maintain contact with him. Nick looked down at his mother's grave and she gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze.

"Do you want to stay awhile?" she asked quietly.

Nick lifted his gaze and looked out across the field of markers, then shook his head. He leaned down and picked up his sunglasses that had slid from his shirt at some point. He flicked the water off them and put them on.

"No," he said calmly and took a deep breath, "No... Mom isn't here. Nobody is here, just memories... I think I've done what I needed to do." Nick's was still sad and pained, but he was more at ease somehow. He _did_ feel better. A weight he had become so accustomed too had begun to lift from him, and he again thought about how it was all due to this little country rabbit that had stepped into his life out of nowhere. He pushed himself up and stood, Judy's paw dropping from his shoulder, "Let's go," he said.

Judy nodded, leaning over to scoop her umbrella up and they turned to leave.

They walked slowly, in no hurry. Judy didn't bother using her umbrella, they were both soaked anyways, and it was a warm summer rain. They continued in silence until they reached the entrance to the cemetery and Judy stopped, looking back and forth down the street.

Nick looked down to her curiously, watching Judy's eyes scan and her nose twitch. "What?" he asked, looking back and forth himself now.

"Looking for any more photographers," she said. She had not given the giraffe from this morning much thought, her mind having been too tired and fatigued then, but right now she really did not want anyone snooping around for any more candid photos. She was irritated at the idea of someone tailing them around and snapping pictures given how much trouble it had caused them.

"I don't see anyone," Nick said.

Judy gave the area one more slow look and nodded before they started to walk back towards her apartment.

"I don't want someone snooping around after us," she said, "I've just about had enough of that kind of nonsense."

Nick gave a small chuckle and shrugged. "Yeah," he said, "But not a lot we can do about it. I bet making a scene would be gold to them."

Judy _hmmmd_ and kept her eyes forward. "I could call Fru, or her father," she said thoughtfully.

Nick's ears shot up and he looked down at her. "Why, Officer Hopps!" he said in feigned shock, "Are you suggesting we use your questionable connections to a crime syndicate to intimidate some poor individual?"

Judy made a little growl and narrowed her eyes. "Just a broken leg or two," she said.

Nick's ears fell. "You're kidding, right?" he said. "Please tell me you're kidding."

Judy rolled her eyes and looked up at Nick, "Of course I am dummy," she said, "but it's a tempting thought." She was not sure how to feel about her connection to Mister Big and his family, but she would never use it in such a petty and, frankly, ethically wrong way… She thought of Duke dangling over the trapdoor and cringed internally.

Nick relaxed and chuckled. They continued to walk and he stuffed his paws into the pockets of his shorts, one encountering the small box in the plastic bag… he had forgotten about that. He debated pulling it out now but decided to wait until later. He thought about what he wanted to say next, then looked down to Judy.

"So, uhm, you want to know what happened?" he asked, voice unsure, "With my mom, I mean?" A part of him secretly hoped she would say no.

"Only if you want to," she said after a moment of deliberation. She did want to know but did not want to pressure him either.

Nick nodded and looked down at the sidewalk for a time as they walked, gathering his thoughts. "I am sure this will shock you," he finally said, some of his sly snarky wit returning to his voice, "But I was a bit of a delinquent when I was a kid."

Judy raised her eyebrows, looking up at him with a sarcastic ' _No, really?'_ expression but without comment, realizing Nick had decided he was going to tell her what this was really all about.

Nick smiled at the look. "So, you know the beginning bit, about the scouts and such," he said, and Judy nodded, "After that things went downhill. They wanted a vicious fox? Well, I gave them one. Over the next couple of years, my grades tanked. I started getting into more and more fights and, eventually, I got expelled." Nick looked up in thought, "I was eleven, almost twelve." He walked on a bit and looked down again, gathering his memories before continuing. "Mom didn't know what to do… I mean, she was just a few years younger than I am now," Nick said.

Judy blinked as she did the math, that would have made Nick's mom somewhere in her middle teens when she had him and it seemed to her that was awfully young to be having children. A phrase she had heard before popped into her mind, _Kids having Kids._

"She tried," Nick continued, head tilting back down to the sidewalk as they slowly walked, "Got me to a counselor a couple of times, but…" Nick paused, took a big breath, and sighed, "I wasn't having any of it. I got into another school for a while," he said and shook his head, "I couldn't have gone more than a handful of days before I just stopped. By this time I was starting to figure out how to make money. Started out helping certain... shall we say, 'disreputable individuals', and before long I was making more money on my own than a twelve year old knew what to do with." Nick pulled a paw out and rubbed under his muzzle.

"Then there was that whole thing with Svetlana," he said and smiled, "If there was any good that came out of that mess, it was my love for music... a few days after she left me at the train station was when I first heard Wicked Game on the radio, and I just had to learn how to play it."

Judy perked her ears and looked up at Nick, "You play the guitar?" she asked, genuine surprise in her voice.

Nick nodded, "Guitar, sax, piano, although I'm not very good on the piano," he said and brought a paw out of a pocket to wiggle his fingers, "Don't really have the reach for it." He put his paw back into his pocket and looked down at her, and her expression.

Nick waggled his eyebrows up and down.

"I know, right?" he said with a bit of sarcasm, "A guitar playing fox, will wonders never cease!"

Judy raised one eyebrow and reached out to pinch his arm.

"Ow!" Nick yelped, laughing as he pulled away, his paws coming out of his pockets.

"Don't be a jerk," Judy said with affection, "That's not what I was thinking and you know it. Just seems like an unlikely hobby given the circumstances. So you just taught yourself to play?"

Nick chuckled, rubbing his arm where she had pinched him. "Mostly," he said, "I had the money so I bought an old six string down at the five and dime. I had a friend who played and he taught me the basics. I just kind of figured out the rest on my own."

Judy hummed thoughtfully, "You're going to have to play for me now, you realize?"

"Oh I fully intend to, Carrots," he said and leered down at her, "It will be an excellent way to get your clothes off."

Judy let out a laugh and pushed at him, shaking her head as Nick chuckled with her.

"So," he said, "Where was I?"

"Telling me about hearing Wicked Game for the first time," Judy said and made a face, "I guess that was a poor choice of song last night."

Nick was silent for a few steps. "No," he said and gave a sad little smile, "You know... it's funny. That song always reminded me of her, but now, when I think about it, all I think of is you."

Judy _hmmphed_ , "I'm not entirely sure that's a good thing," she said, "It's not really the most optimistic song when you really listen to it."

Nick shrugged. "The good ones never are," he said, and instead of putting his paws back in his pockets, held his arm out to Judy.

Judy didn't know why, but she felt the act was somehow significant. She smiled and took his wet arm as she had earlier in the morning, hugging it to her chest with one arm while the paw of the other awkwardly hooked her fingers into his. She made a hungry noise then and narrowed her eyes in thought.

"What?" Nick asked. It was Judy's turn to give Nick a look that made his fur want to stand up.

"Just thinking about you playing for me," she said and Nick grinned.

"Told you so," he said.

Judy's rolled her eyes, but her mind was full of imagines of Nick crooning out Wicked Game. She didn't say anything else, however, wanting Nick to continue his story. After a few silent moments, he did.

"Anyways," he said, levity fading as his tone turned serious again. He wiped some water off his face and looked up. The rain had mostly stopped, here and there the sun had started to break through the clouds. "I kind of turned into a real jerk then, all brooding and insufferable. I thought I was sooo deep... That I knew everything," he continued as they reached the turn back onto Judy's street. "Nothing like heartbreak to make you think you've been through the worst the world can throw at you… but anyways, Mom and I were not getting along at all by this point, and I left to go it on my own. I got into trouble a couple of times. The second time I just about got put away, but I was still a minor so they let me off with probation."

Judy's ears perked at this. She had looked him up when she started the missing mammal case, and while Nick had had no adult arrest record, he did have a sealed juvenile record. She was tempted to ask about that but decided it wasn't the time.

"Sooo, " Nick said, drawing the word out, "I kept my activities low key... safe, but still lucrative. Things that wouldn't get me on a wanted list or worse. I even got my GED." Nick rubbed his muzzle again, trying to recall things so far in his past even he had a hard time keeping them in order. "That kind of patched things up with me and Mom for a while. She thought I was going straight, but I only did it because it opened up more doors for me. Mom was working with Honey when the diner was still Jimmy's, had been for years." Nick suddenly went quiet.

Judy looked up at him and could see Nick's eyes were shining behind his aviators.

"I remember it was a few weeks after I turned twenty when I found out she was sick," he continued, voice rough, "Honey told me and…. and..." Nick's free paw came up and covered his eyes.

Judy hugged Nick's arm tight to her, offering what little support she could.

"Mom… she didn't want to see me," he said after wrestling his emotions back under control. He took a big breath, "We had had a huge fight on my birthday, and we were both so stubborn… So, 'fine!' I said, but I didn't understand how bad it was… nobody did, not yet. It was some type of cancer of the lining of the blood vessels… it was so aggressive... so fast."

Nick's voice began to falter again, and Judy saw his throat work as he swallowed hard, "There was nothing they could do. Towards the end she did ask to see me… but… but…"

Nick suddenly stopped, his body rigid, muzzle and eyes clenched tightly closed. His chest jerked as he fought to keep from breaking down again.

Judy stopped with him and hugged his tense arm close to herself. She watched him carefully and said nothing. After a moment he relaxed and exhaled, and opened his eyes. He swallowed hard one more time.

"By the time Honey found me and brought me to the hospital, she was gone," he said, the words coming out in a rush.

"Nick, I'm so sorry," Judy said, her own eyes wet.

"So am I, Carrots," he said in a hoarse whisper and they started to walk again, "So am I."

Some of his humor returned and he cleared his throat, managing to smile, "That's another cue to run away screaming, Carrots," he staged whispered down at her.

Judy snorted and gave his arm a little smooch. "Never," she said and they walked in silence, both lost in their own thoughts, but eventually Judy spoke up.

"Nick, I can't pretend to know what you've been through was really like… I simply don't have any frame of reference, but I do _understand_. I'm not going to run, I'm not going to judge," she said as she gazed up at him and squeezed his arm, "I'm glad you told me."

Nick smiled down at her with more than a little affection. "You are wise beyond your years, young rabbit," he said, his tone solemn.

"I'm twenty four," Judy said, sounding affronted.

"What?" Nick asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm twenty four, I'm not young," she said, turning his own little joke from earlier around on him.

Nick let out a bark of laughter, the mood suddenly lifting, "I have got to show you that movie sometime," he said.

Judy smiled as they started up the short front steps of the Pangolin Arms.

"Yes," she said, "You do… you have a lot to show me, and I have a lot to show you."

* * *

Huge thanks to athensdamanes who was invaluable in editing and helping point out a few character issues. Awesome editor. Also big thanks to Gotriss Nholf as well, he's a non native english speaker and finds things that are easy to miss for native speakers.


	8. Chapter 8 - Overprotective

They heard the arguing before they even were all the way up the stairs to Judy's floor.

"I see Bucky and Pronk are home," Judy said with a sigh.

Nick listened as the exited the stairwell, not able to pick out exactly what was being said… or yelled… but it certainly was spirited.

"And this goes on all the time?" Nick asked, taking his sunglasses off and hooking them into his shirt collar again.

"Constantly," Judy said, enunciating the word slowly. As they drew closer, the words became more distinct.

 _"No it's not! It's your turn!"_

 _"I made dinner last night, it's your turn!"_

 _"_ No _you didn't, I did! It's your turn!"_

 _"No it's not!"_

"Wow…" Nick said as the argument continued.

"I told you," Judy said, resigned, as they reached her door. She fished her keys from the single pocket of her leggings and unlocked the door.

They entered and when the door shut the argument on the other side of the wall suddenly stopped, quiet whispering heard instead before a voice called out.

"Hey Rabbit! We saw you kissing that fox on the net! Did you guys bang it out?" called the voice.

Judy let out a groan, her ears falling, and put a paw to her forehead. She was just about to answer but Nick beat her to it.

"Yes! Yes we did! Thank you for asking!" he said, his normal smug voice back in full form.

There was silence again then the other voice spoke, "Is that the fox?" it asked.

Judy didn't even try to intervene.

"It is indeed!" Nick called back.

"How does that even work?" one of the voices said, "You're twice her size!"

Judy just held her paws up, palm out with an 'I can't even' expression.

Nick grinned and rocked on his feet, stuffing his paws back into his pockets, he was enjoying this way too much.

"Well, flesh is freakishly elastic if you take your time!" Nick said.

Judy made a disgusted noise and picked up her suitcase on the floor at the foot of her bed while Nick tried his hardest to not burst out laughing. There was quieter whispering, then footsteps.

"Aaannnd here they come," Judy said as she set the suitcase on her bed, flipping the latches.

There was the sound of a door opening and then more footsteps up to Judy's door followed by a loud knock.

Nick took the liberty and opened the door.

The two tall, lanky herbivores stood there, each with an open beer in their hand, peering down at Nick as Judy stepped up beside him.

"You're wet," the kudu on the right with spiraling horns said flatly.

"That is very observant of you," Nick said with a smile, "You must be Bucky and Pronk, I have heard so much about you!"

"I'm Bucky," the kudu said.

"I'm Pronk," said the oryx on the left with horns arching straight back.

"A pleasure to meet you," Nick said, "Nick Wilde at your service."

"Hi Bucky, hi Pronk," Judy said, looking up to the two with a patient smile, "Having the ole 'who is fixing dinner' argument again?"

"I did it last night!" Pronk said.

"You did not!" Bucky retorted and Judy raised her voice before the two could continue.

"IS there anything I can do for you?" she asked, smile now forced. The two stopped their accusations and looked down at them again, then Bucky saw the open suitcase on the bed.

"You movin' out Rabbit?" the kudu asked, the question implying that she was possibly moving in with Nick.

Judy looked back at the suitcase and blinked, then looked up at Nick. The thought of moving in with Nick had never even crossed either of their minds until now and it made a slight thrill run through them both. They looked at each other for a moment and Judy shook herself.

"No! No!" she said, her ears burning, "Ummm… no… not moving out. Just packing some overnight things!"

"We're going to 'bang it out' again," Nick said helpfully then oophed! as Judy elbowed him hard in the ribs.

The two neighbors stared down at them, or more specifically at Nick with intense interest long enough to stretch into awkwardness.

"Okay," said Bucky finally, and the two abruptly turned in unison and walked back to their door without further comment, the argument about who was going to cook resuming even before they were in their own apartment.

Nick closed Judy's door, rubbing his side where Judy had elbowed him, and looked at her with raised eyebrows.

"That was… interesting," he said.

Judy shrugged. She debated giving Nick the business about that comment of his, but instead just shrugged.

"They're… interesting animals," she replied.

"And you've been here the better part of a year and they still call you Rabbit?" Nick asked.

"Don't look at me," she said as she went back to the bed and pulled open the drawers built into the side, starting to remove clothes and packing them into the suitcase. "They're really sweet once you get to know them… and they're not arguing!" she said, the last part with her voice raised.

"We heard that!" One of them shouted back.

"We're not going to apologize about it!" said the other. It was hard tell which was which without seeing them.

Nick was still trying not to laugh. "We should set up a web page," he said, "and charge people to listen to them."

"You better not fox!" said a voice from the other side of the wall and Nick had to put a paw over his muzzle to stop from laughing out loud.

Judy gave a quiet little laugh of her own and shook her head as she packed a few sets of clothes and her small case of toiletries.

Nick waited and listened with amusement as the argument had shifted over to not who was going to cook, but what.

Judy looked up to her uniform hanging on the impromptu clothes rack under the high shelf mounted on one wall, but decided that she didn't need it if they were going to be off duty for the next week.

"Ooo!" she said, turned around, and scooped her phone up. The phone was not fully charged, but the little green battery meter was almost to the fifty percent mark. She leaned over with a grunt, muscles protesting again, and pulled the charger from the wall then wrapped the cord around it. She tossed the charger into her case and closed it with one paw, flicking the latches down, while with the other she thumbed the button on her phone to power it up.

"Okay," she said and headed to the door, Nick opening it for her, "Let's go." She stuffed her phone into her pocket, snatched up the keys she had set on the table when they entered, and walked out, Nick closing the door and stepping aside to let Judy lock it.

As they started walking to the stairwell her phone made the little noise it did once it had booted up and immediately made the tone that said she had missed a call or text. She was not surprised, sure her parents had tried to call at the very least. She stuck the plastic carrot keychain ornament in her muzzle and held onto it while she fished her phone from her pocket just as they were starting down the stairs. She slowly came to a stop on the stairs and started to look at her phone in horror, thumb scrolling the list of missed events.

 **10:05AM Missed Muzzletime – Mom & Dad**

 **11:45AM Missed Call – Mom & Dad**

 **11:46AM Voicemail from Mom & Dad 20 sec**

 **12:00PM Missed Muzzletime – Mom & Dad**

 **12:05PM Missed Call – Mom & Dad**

 **12:10PM From Mom & Dad: Judy call us.**

 **12:15PM Missed Call – Mom & Dad**

 **12:16PM Voicemail from Mom & Dad 1:30 min**

 **12:33PM From Bogo: Hopps call your parents.**

 **1:00PM from Bogo: HOPPS. CALL. YOUR. PARENTS.**

 **1:20PM Missed Call – Bogo**

 **1:21PM Voicemail from Bogo 3:30 min**

 **2:05PM From Ben: You guys better answer your phones! Chief being really nice to everyone!**

 **2:30PM From Ben: Chief is sending a car to find you, better hide!**

 **3:00PM Missed Call – Mom & Dad**

"Oh boy," Nick said, looking over Judy's shoulder.

Judy made a strangled nnnnmmmm! noise around the keychain in her muzzle as she bit down on it. Nick pulled his own phone out from a pocket and it too was dark, having run out of power at some point as well. "We cracked fusion but we can't make a phone battery that lasts more than a day," he muttered.

Judy hurried down to the next landing and dropped the suitcase. Her thumb pads flew over the keys as she texted her parents.

 **OMG MOM DAD STOP CALLING CHIEF BOGO!**

Judy made another angry noise, pulled the keychain from her muzzle and stuffed it into her pocket before picking up the suitcase again.

"I can't believe them!" she said, genuinely angry, "Why are they making such a big deal out of this?!"

"Apparently I must have gobbled you up," Nick said with a grin.

"This isn't funny! Chief is going ballistic!" Judy snapped as she started trotting down the stairs and Nick followed, putting his own defunct phone back in his pocket. Judy thought about what she was going to do. She should call or text the chief. On the last landing Judy's phone began to ring, it was Mom and Dad's ringtone. Judy looked down at it and flick the 'decline' icon. She growled and they opened the door to exit.

Standing there, reaching for the door, was DelGato with Frank McHorn behind him. McHorn was grinning from ear to ear, DelGato grinning just as broadly behind him.

Judy's phone dinged with a text message but she ignored it.

"Well well, here the lovebirds are. Been lookin' for you guys," Mchorn said, "Chief wants to talk to you."

"So we noticed," Nick said from behind Judy as he flicked his sunglasses out and put them on, still sounding amused.

DelGato grabbed the corded mic clipped high on his chest and spoke into it.

"Chief, we found them," the big tiger said.

Judy groaned and looked at her phone to see a text message.

 **Call us this instant young lady!**

Judy quickly replied.

 **NO! YOU'RE GETTING ME INTO A LOT OF**

 **TROUBLE! STOP IT!**

The radio beeped and Judy heard the Chief's voice.

"Put Hopps on," she heard him say.

DelGato unclipped his radio and handed it to Judy.

Judy groaned and stuffed her phone into her pocket then took the radio. She took a calming breath and closed her eyes, bringing the mic up and keying it.

"Officer Hopps here," she said. After a brief pause the radio chirped and the Chief's voice, with that false calm of his, came through.

"Officer Hopps, so good to hear your voice. I assume Officer Wilde is with you?"

"Yes sir," Judy replied dejectedly.

"Good. Officer Hopps, have you charged your phone yet?" asked the Chief, voice still all honey.

"I just turned it on sir…" Judy replied. Nick snickered behind her and she cow kicked him in the shin, making him grunt but it didn't stop his sniggering.

DelGato and McHorn had backed down the steps and were now standing back, watching with obvious amusement.

"I see," said the Chief. "I'm going to go out a limb here and assume Officer Wilde's phone was also off?"

"Yes Sir," Judy replied.

"Of course," the Chief said then continued, "I am also going to assume you have seen a few missed calls and messages on your phone?"

"Yes sir," Judy said again, starting to brace herself for the inevitable explosion.

"Good… good," Bogo continued," I had a… lovely conversation with your mother and you will be glad to know that the mystery of how your parents got my direct line has been solved."

"Sir?" Judy said.

"It seems your mother called the mayor's office this morning," the Chief said.

DelGato suddenly turned around, facing away. The big tiger ducked his head down and brought a paw up to his muzzle, his back shaking as he held back laughter. McHorn had his eyes closed tight and his bulk was shaking as he too tried to hold back.

Judy cringed and just wanted to crawl into a hole and hide.

"Some generous soul gave it to her but I have a feeling she may have just browbeaten them into it," Bogo continued, his voice still sounding calm.

Judy winced again, knowing full well what her mother was like when she was a tear. Judy paused before keying the mic.

"I'm sorry sir, I'll make sure to talk to her about this," she said.

"See that you do Officer Hopps, see that you do," the Chief came back. "That is all, we were all just very concerned that Officer Wilde may have devoured you whole!" the Chief said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Judy groaned but was inwardly surprised and looked at the radio with suspicion, she had fully expected the Chief to let her have it. She keyed the mic.

"Yes sir," she said. She was about to go hand the radio back to DelGato when the Chief spoke up again.

"Oh, Officer Hopps?"

"Yes sir?" Judy said, pausing.

"You and Officer Wilde will be traveling to Bunnyburrow tomorrow as part of an unofficial MII outreach field trip. You're going to go show the good citizens of your hometown just how well predators and prey get along in Zootopia."

Nick, who had still been entirely too amused by the exchange up to this point, stopped his quiet chuckling, his ears splaying out and his eyes going wide.

"Wait, what?!" he said and Judy looked back.

"Not so funny now, is it?!" she hissed at him then spoke into the mic.

"Say again sir?" she asked.

"You heard me Hopps," Bogo said, "You're taking Officer Wilde home to meet your parents." Judy stared at the radio for a long second before responding.

"Sir! You can't make me go back to Bunnyburrow! This is way outside of the ZPD or city hall's remit!"

"As I said, this is unofficial and not an order," the Chief said, "however, I told your mother you would be coming so if you refuse to go then you can take it up with her. Bogo out."

Judy gritted her teeth and stamped a foot.

 _There it is_ , Judy thought, _that's why he isn't yelling._

"Would everyone stop meddling with my personal life!" she cried out to nobody in particular and that was all DelGato and McHorn could take, both erupting in laughter. "This isn't funny you guys!" Judy said, glaring at them.

McHorn sucked in a breath and wiped his eyes, trying to be serious. "You're right… you're right, McFluff," he said, "it's not funny… it's frickin hysterical!" The big rhino started laughing again, bending over.

"Thanks guys," Judy said sourly, "Thanks a lot, you're a big help!"

DelGato held his arms out expansively, "Hey! We're helpers! We're here to help!" the big tiger said, causing both him and McHorn to laugh even harder.

Judy huffed and stomped forward, shoving the radio unit up into DelGato's waist, the tiger having to jerk his arms down to catch it as Judy just let it go, but it didn't stop his mirth one bit. Judy turned and looked at Nick, who was still standing there with his ears out and eyes wide.

"I'm going to meet your parents," he said flatly. "I'm going to have dinner with your fox hating parents," he said saying the word 'parents' with an exaggerated enunciation.

Judy closed her eyes and rubbed the bridge of her muzzle. "They don't hate foxes, Nick," she sighed "they're... just… old fashioned." Judy was more than a little sure that her mother was the main one behind this fuss. In fact, she was absolutely certain of it. She then threw her arms up, letting them fall limply and smack against herself.

"Fine…fine! It was bound to happen soon anyways so might as well get it over with!" She stomped back up the stairs and grabbed her suitcase.

DelGato and McHorn had started to quiet down, but still were letting out little gasping chuckles and sniggers.

Judy glared at them and then looked to the cruiser the two had arrived in, one of the older four-door models instead of the bulkier newer ones with only two doors and a hatchback.

"If you two are quite done can you give Nick and me a ride to his place?" she asked.

McHorn wiped at the corners of his eyes again and nodded. "Sure thing McFluff, it's the least we could do," he said which just made DelGato and him bark out another short burst of laughter.

Judy rolled her eyes and grabbed Nick's paw and started tugging him, Nick following along like a child being led, still looking horrified. Judy pulled Nick down the stairs to the cruiser and had to reach up to get to the handle. She tugged the door open and turned her head to the other officers.

"You know where Nick's place is?" she asked and the tiger nodded.

"Yeah, we went there first," DelGato answered, still grinning, and Judy grunted noncommittally.

Judy turned to Nick, who was just standing there, eyes glazed. "Nick! Snap out of it! Get in!" she huffed, pushing him.

Nick finally seemed to come out of whatever trance he had been in and climbed into the back of the big cruiser.

Judy clambered up beside Nick and DelGato shut the door behind her. Judy sighed and scooted over and up against Nick, "Scoot over," she grumped and Nick complied without comment, still looking less than thrilled. Judy closed her eyes and took another calming breath and got her phone out. There was a new text message from the conversation there.

 **I don't know what the fuss is**

 **about. He seemed perfectly**

 **reasonable.**

Judy tapped away quickly with her thumbs in reply as DelGato got into the Driver's seat and McHorn settled into the passenger side, the entire cruiser creaking in protest, but it did have good suspension.

 **I'LL CALL YOU WHEN I CALM DOWN.**

 **I'M SO MAD RIGHT NOW!**

McHorn picked up the car radio and spoke into it as DelGato started the engine.

"Dispatch, Unit 26, 10-7," the rhino said into the mic and set it back into its holder. There was a moment of silence and the radio made a digital chirp and a voice came back.

"Unit 26, acknowledged."

Judy waited, the cruiser starting to move.

McHorn shook his head and gave a little chuckle, "Oohhh… this made my day," he said.

"I'm glad we could provide so much amusement, Frank," she said through clenched teeth, which just made both Delgato and McHorn chuckle again. She sighed and a text popped up on her phone.

 **You're overreacting dear.**

Judy's eyes lit up in fury and her thumbs flew over the virtual keyboard, keeping the caps lock on.

 **HOW AM I THE ONE OVERREACTING?!**

 **YOU CALLED THE MAYOR'S OFFICE THEN**

 **CALLED THE CHIEF, MULTIPLE TIMES!**

 **I TOLD YOU I WOULD CALL! NEVERMIND!**

 **I'LL CALL YOU WHEN WE GET TO NICK'S**

 **IT WOULD SEEM WE'RE COMING TO VISIT**

 **TOMORROW ANYWAYS.**

She deliberately put that reference to going to Nick's in there, hoping it tweaked their ears just a little bit. She leaned back and pressed her head to the seat, closing her eyes for a moment before rolling her head to the side and looking up to Nick beside her. He still looked shocked.

To say Nick was 'less than thrilled' was an understatement. His mind filled with images of being chased through moonlit fields by a horde of pitchfork and torch carrying rabbits.

"Relax Nick," Judy said, scooting over to press herself against him. Both of them were still quite damp and smelled of wet fur, their clothing dark with moisture, "It'll be fine."

"I've never met anyone's parents before," he said and looked down at her, "Are you sure this is a good idea?"

Judy snorted. "Absolutely not," she said, "I would have liked a little more time, but I don't see an easy way around it at this point… let's just get it over with. We have the time so might as well."

This whole thing had been a complete mess from the start. It seemed she had little control over events and that drove her crazy. She would have really liked to ease Mom and Dad into the fact she was dating a fox, but that was not an option. She was reminded of the old saying about a frog in a slowly heating pot of water but instead her parents were a pair of frogs tossed into a pot of lava. She made a disgusted sound and leaned her head against Nick's arm. She sighed and DelGato eyed them in the rear-view mirror.

"Awwww… you two are just adorable!" he said and McHorn turned his head and peered back at them through the wire mesh that separated the front and back seats.

Judy stuck her tongue out at them.

"Ha!" the big rhino said and started to turn back but stopped, "Hey, Georgie said you guys are comin' to MacNelly's tonight?"

Judy nodded. "Yeah… Nick talked me into it," she said, just starting to relax when her phone dinged with another text message. She tensed but forced herself to just ignore it.

"Cool," McHorn said, " 'bout time you got out, Judy-On-Duty."

"So everybody keeps telling me!" Judy said and sighed.

Nick looked down at Judy again.

"You're sure about this 'not hating foxes' thing, right?" he asked.

Judy pressed her head against Nick's arm. "Yes," she said, "They even partnered up with one, Gideon Grey, they sell his pies at our stand for a cut of the profits."

Nick raised his eyebrows,"Pies?" he asked.

Judy nodded and sat back up straight.

"He's actually really good at making pastries and baking," she said and gave a little laugh, "He's a far cry from the jerk he was as a kid."

Nick narrowed his eyes, remembering a story Judy had told him a while ago. "Wait, is this the guy who clawed you?" he asked and Judy nodded.

"That would be him," she said.

Nick had to push down a sudden urge to find said Gideon and give him a clawing of his own but he didn't say anything, realizing that it was just an irrational protective response.

Judy picked up on the pause and Nick's distracted stare. "Okay, I see that look, no tackling Gideon if we meet him."

Nick blinked and focused on Judy again. "I would never!" he said, fake offense in his voice, "Madam, do you take me for some kind of barbarian?"

Judy rolled her eyes and just snuggled up to him again. "Just be on your best manners," she said, "and for god's sake keep your muzzle under control. Dad I'm not worried about, but this whole thing has my mom written all over it and your more… colorful comments will not do you any favors."

Nick was silent while Judy thought, and as she did she started to get angry. "No… no on second thought say whatever you like," she said, "I'm almost twenty five, I'm a Zootopia police officer, I'm not living under their roof anymore and I'm not putting up with them interfering with my life!"

Nick arched an eyebrow. "I have a feeling that I know where you get your personality," he said dryly.

Judy snorted, he wasn't wrong, she saw a lot of her mom in herself. Judy pulled her phone up and looked at it, seeing the message she had ignored from before. There was only a single word.

 **Ok**

"So," Judy said, seeing the time was just after 4:30, leaving them some time before going out to MacNelly's, "Get to your place, get dry, get dressed, call Mom and Dad, then out."

Nick nodded. "Sounds like a plan Fluff," he said. He had finally started to relax as he got used to the idea of being introduced to someone's parents as a romantic partner… rabbit parents at that. Not something he wanted to do, exactly, but they were Judy's parents and it wasn't something he could avoid forever. He chuckled and Judy looked up at him.

"What?" she asked.

"I think this is what they call a whirlwind romance," Nick said, "I just hope it doesn't turn into a shotgun wedding."

Judy snorted again. "I think I would have to be pregnant for that to apply," she said, "That isn't something we have to worry about at least."

Nick's mind lurched at the thought. They could not have children, this was true, and he suddenly found that fact depressing. He looked down at Judy, who was staring back up at him with the same look and expression on her face. They both blinked and ahemed, turning away at the same time.

"So," Nick said.

"So," Judy said and cleared her throat, ears burning. She looked up and saw that the two up front had been quiet for a while now, but she saw those ears cocked back at them attentively.

"Uhmm… so… Uhh… tomorrow," Judy said, trying to find another line of conversation, "You wanted to go to Honey's?" Nick nodded and Judy was immediately sorry she had brought that up, not wanting to sour the mood but Nick seemed okay with it.

Nick found that he was actually eager to deal with that old wound but didn't say anything.

"There's a train out to the burrows at eleven," Judy said, "We can catch that one… I guess we'll be staying the night."

Nick groaned. "Really?" he asked, his voice an uncharacteristic whine. This whole thing just seemed to be digging itself deeper and deeper. "Do we have to?" he asked and Judy shook her head and shrugged.

"I don't know," she said, "let's just wing it and see how things go. The last train leaves at eight so that's our point of no escape."

The cruiser had just pulled up to a stop, having arrived in front of Nick's apartment building.

"Okay you guys," McHorn said, "Here ya go…see you at seven, right?"

"We'll be there," Judy said and McHorn nodded.

"Good!" he said and climbed out of the cruiser to open the door for them, the interior handles of the backseat having been made inoperative.

Judy slid out and Nick scooted after her.

The sun was back in more force now, at least, the clouds having opened up with shafts of the late afternoon sunlight spearing down and the air humid with the evaporating rain.

McHorn shut the back door and sat back into the front seat. "Don't you forgot to charge those phones now!" he said before closing his own door.

Judy made a rude noise and waved a paw at him.

"Get out of here you two," she said and both McHorn and DelGato chuckled, the cruiser starting to pull away as she and Nick walked into the building.

Both their noses wrinkled as they entered Nick's apartment. Not strong, but definitely the scent of rabbit and fox was in the air.

"Okay," Judy sighed, "I'm getting out of these wet clothes and cleaning up a bit.

"Amen to that," Nick said, pulling his damp t-shirt out from his chest.

* * *

Judy set her suitcase down on the bathroom floor, flipped the latches, and opened it. She leaned down and looked at the contents but her mind went blank and she just stood there, bent over.

She suddenly stood up and moved, leaning back against the closed door, and put her paws over her eyes. She took several long, calming breaths. It had been a day, to put it lightly. One emotional hammer blow after another and now that she was alone, with no crisis at her feet, it was starting to catch up to her. Even with the sleep she was emotionally drained. She slid her paws down over her cheeks, pulling her bottom eyelids down as she looked up at the white ceiling. What am I doing? she asked herself and didn't have a good answer to give.

It had not quite been twenty-four hours and the series of events in that time read like a daytime soap opera. All this attention, all the unexpected drama with Nick, her parents… all of it. It just made her want to stay in here and not come out. No Jude, you can't do that. Buck up, you've handled worse, another part of her said but she wasn't sure that was at all true. She was not looking forward to the conversation with her parents… well… really with her mother as she had to be behind calling the mayor's office to badger them into giving her the Chief's number. Dad was great, but that was just not something he would have thought of.

She also didn't understand why it was blowing up to be as big an issue with them as it was. Sure she and Nick made an odd couple, perhaps the odd couple because she had never heard of a fox and rabbit together before them, but still. While her parents had not met Nick, she had told them about him so it wasn't like he was a complete unknown. She guessed she would just have to confront them and get to the bottom of the whole mess.

Judy ducked her head down and took one last breath before standing up off the wall. She pulled her phone, keys, and small billfold from her pocket, setting them on the sink before peeling herself out of the tight leggings then pulled her shirt off next and draped both wet garments over the side of the bathtub to dry. She idly thought about taking another shower but decided she'd had enough being wet for one day. Thankfully Nick had a full sized… well, fox-sized at least, body blower and she turned it on. She fiddled with the controls for a moment then stood in front of it. She let out a groan of pleasure as the warm air started to dry her fur and drive out the slight chill. She spent several long minutes in front of the blower, rubbing her paws up and down her fur, turning this way and that into the jets of air.

She forced out the more stressing thoughts from her mind and she dried herself, mostly just concentrating on the evening ahead and what to expect. She found she was actually looking forward to it. It would be nice to just go hang out with everyone and, more importantly, with Nick.

She reluctantly turned off the dryer and attended to a rising call of nature before delving back into her case, pulling out her bag of toiletries. She smoothed her fur down with some lightly scented leave-in conditioner and brushed herself from head to toe which left her feeling much better. She looked down at the contents of the suitcase and debated what to wear.

In the suitcase were a few shirts and shorts but she decided on a simple white t-shirt with a plaid over-shirt in various shades of red and white, leaving it open and unbuttoned. She pulled on a pair of panties then wriggled into some tight fitting cutoff shorts. She looked down at herself, wishing Nick had a full-length mirror in here. Overall it all looked pretty good she thought.

Judy was about to pack up her bag and put it away when she spotted the small case of makeup there. It was unopened, shrink wrap still around it. It had been purchased a few months back on a whim, but now thinking about it she remembered buying it after one of the rare times Nick was able to meet up for lunch when he was able to get away from the academy.

 _Oh my gods,_ she thought, _was my subconscious aware of it even then?_

She didn't use makeup often, one had to have a light touch when you had fur, but what little she did have she had left back in Bunnyburrow. She could probably count on both paws how many times it had actually been used. It just always seemed so silly to her, but now… now she wanted to look good. I want to look good for Nick, she realized.

She picked up the little case of makeup and held it, looking at it thoughtfully. It contained various small squares of different colored eye shadow, a tube of lip gloss, some fur glitter, eyeliner, and mascara. Judy chewed her lip in thought and finally decided.

She pulled the trash can she had used this morning back to the front of the sink and stepped up. It took a minute of grumbling and fussing to get the, apparently, adult proof shrink wrap off but she was able to finally remove it. Looking at the options Judy had a horrifying image of presenting herself to Nick looking like a clown. She sighed and started.

She was not that adept at using makeup so applied it very sparingly, using just a bit of dark green eyeshadow, applying it to one eyelid then the other, brushed up delicately on the fur above her eyes. The lightly tinted lip gloss went on her bottom lip, not much point to applying it to the top as you could hardly see it. The gloss had a fruity taste and the color just barely deepened the color of her lips. The mascara she decided was too much and left it in the case. Judy pursed and worked her lips together, tilting her head up to look at herself in the mirror to examined her work. It was a minimal job, subtle, and the green eyeshadow went really well with her eyes she thought.

She _hummed_ at herself in the mirror and nodded.

Judy packed the makeup away, hopped down, stowed everything back into her suitcase and closed it. She opened the door and found Nick there, leaning against the wall and waiting, the entire thing a mirror of the events from this morning.

* * *

Nick watched Judy start to trot off to his bathroom and he followed, turning into the bedroom.

The scent was definitely stronger here so he opened a window to air the room out.

Nick took his sunglasses off and set them on the dresser then started pulling his wet clothes off. He tossed them into a basket after removing his phone and wallet, plus the small bag from the store. He settled his phone on the dock on the nightstand then sat down on his bed, sighing. He, much like Judy, was emotionally drained and considered begging off going to MacNally's but knew they were pretty much locked into going to that at this point. Plus he wanted Judy to go out for once, wanted her to have some fun after the kind of day it had been. That thought by itself made the decision for him.

Nick rubbed his face and ears, hearing the body dryer start up in the bathroom. The idea of Judy standing in front of it made him smile, along with making other feelings start to rise. He forced his mind elsewhere lest he become truly indecent and concentrated, instead, about how he would need some time in front of the dryer himself before he got dressed.

"Well Nick," he said to himself, "This is certainly not how I expected the day to go."

Having put to rest, partially, at least, the guilt he had been carrying for so long did feel like a huge weight had been lifted from him. It still hurt, he still felt the pain of being too self-absorbed and stubborn that had led to him not being… there… but the pain was not quite so sharp now. Thanks to Judy, he thought. The very thought of her name in his head made him giddy. He almost felt like she was a lifeline thrown to him when he had not even known he was drowning. A silly idea, but she had been a catalyst to so much change in him in so short a time that it left him nearly stunned at times. He shook his head and gave a chuckle as he hopped off the bed. Brave new world, he thought again.

Nick went to his closet and pulled out one of several leaf print green silk shirts that he was so fond of and laid it on the bed along with a set of khaki slacks. He then got one of his ties, all of a similar pattern and color, and laid it on top of the rest. The entire color pallet went well with his russet fur and he really did like those shirts.

The dryer eventually stopped and Nick padded out to the hall to lean against the wall and wait like he had this morning. His ears twitched as he heard Judy moving about, the few noises of a rather personal nature he made conscious effort to ignore before he heard the toilet flush. Quiet for a moment then the sound of the trash can being dragged in front of the sink. _Really need to stop by someplace and get a step for her_ , he thought. After a few more minutes he heard her hop down, the suitcase close and then the door opened. He looked at Judy with a sly smile and pushed off the wall.

"Cute," he said, noticing the outfit she had on, it was simple but looked great on her.

Judy ignored the use of 'cute' and eyed him. "Nick," she said, looking him up and down, "You're naked."

Nick's eyes went wide and he looked down at himself in apparent shock, arms up. "Oh gods I am naked!" he said, "How did that happen?!"

Judy gave him another slow look up and down. She had seen him naked plenty in the last day, that wasn't really the point of her comment. "I wasn't complaining," she said with a sultry look and started to walk past him.

Nick put a paw on her shoulder to stop her as he noticed she looked… different. He ducked his head to examine her face.

"Are… are you wearing makeup?" he asked, he had never seen Judy ever wear makeup. She was beautiful as it was, but he had to admit the subtle color above her eyes and the shine to her bottom lip did enhance her natural beauty.

Judy's inner ears turned a bit pinker, "Just a little," she said and gave a small, shy smile, "Do you like it?"

Nick definitely did and smiled. "Yeah, the green really goes with your eyes," he said and leaned in to smooch her right between said eyes.

Judy's ears fell as insides turned even pinker. "Thanks," she said, "I don't use if often but thought I would since we're going out."

Nick noticed that Judy's eyes were looking at his bare chest, slowly drifting lower.

Judy gave a little shake and moved past him, "All yours," she said and Nick watched her pad into his bedroom, his eyes fixed on that little twitching tail of hers. He gave himself a little shake of his own and entered the bathroom.

He closed the door and attended to his own call of nature, the greasy food from Honey's did tend to unsettle one's digestion but it was worth the price in his opinion. He spent long minutes in front of the body dryer next. His thoughts drifted back to the day's events and then to the impending meeting with Judy's parents. He was really nervous about that. He didn't know much about Judy's parents and given the apparent… concern over her being with a fox, it did not fill him with confidence. There was not much to be done about it, however, trying to avoid it would just reinforce whatever views they held on his species. He guessed it was up to him to prove them wrong, that he was worthy of their daughter and hopefully their trust as well.

Once dry, he brushed himself out thoroughly and looked at himself in the mirror. He pointed a finger at his reflection in the mirror and winked, making a clicking noise.

"Handsome as always," he said then gave himself a little spritz of rarely used cologne and opened the door to pad back to his bedroom. He found Judy there, examining herself in a full length mirror he had. She turned one way, then the other.

"Do I look okay?" she asked, sounding uncertain.

"You look great Carrots," he said, giving her an approving look from ears to feet, "You got that country girl look going on."

Judy snorted and looked over at him, eyes traveling up and down his now freshly groomed fur. She made a noise and hurriedly turned away. "Get dressed," she said, heat in her voice.

Nick chuckled and turned to his bed to get his clothes… and found instead of what he had laid out was now a set of his black jeans and a v-neck white t-shirt.

"Hey!" he said, "What did you do with the clothes I had out?"

"I put them away," she said, leaning forward to examine herself more closely in the mirror and used a finger to smooth down a patch of fur on her cheek, "You're not wearing one of those gaudy green shirts."

Nick was genuinely offended. "I like those shirts!" he complained, "I'll have you know those are hundred dollar silk shirts! The color goes with my fur!"

Judy rolled her eyes, leaning back from the mirror and looking at him. "A can of peas goes with your fur," she said, "It doesn't mean you should wear them."

Nick glowered at Judy for a moment and she just raised an eyebrow at him, paws on hips, and cocked her head at the clothes on the bed.

Nick sighed, knowing he had no chance winning this battle… and, secretly, he didn't really want to.

"Fine," he said tartly and snatched the shirt up and started pulling it on.

Judy started to pace back and forth in the small space as Nick dressed.

"What's with you?" he asked as he pulled on the jeans, hopping on one foot as he got the other into a pant leg.

"I have to call my parents," Judy said, apparently trying to work herself up to the impending call.

"Ahh," Nick said in understanding, "I'll let you sail that ship Fluff."

Judy grunted. "And you be quiet!" she said, pointing a finger at him, "I don't need any of your smart remarks while talking to them."

Nick pulled up the jeans, buttoned and zipped them, then gave a mock salute. "Aye captain! I'll be keepin' me trap shut!" he said in an awful attempt at a pirate voice.

Judy made an 'ugh' sound and taptaptapped a foot.

Nick moved over to his dresser and pulled open a top drawer to fish a belt out. "Is it really going to be that bad?" he asked as he started to snake the belt through the belt loops.

Judy half threw her arms up. "I don't know!" she said, agitated, "It's just so… so…"

"Infuriating?" Nick finished for her.

"Yes!" Judy said, "All of this is! This whole thing is nobody's business but our own!"

Nick moved over to her once he had the belt secure and put his paws on her shoulders. "Calm down, Carrots," he said and smiled at her, "It'll be okay… just relax and don't get too… uhh… inflammatory… take it from someone who knows." Nick thought it was a bit of a dirty trick, using his own past to make a point, but it had the intended effect.

Judy took a breath and looked back up at him. "You're right," she said in a calmer tone, "They're just being their usual overprotective selves." Judy then looked him up and down, noticing him for the first time in the outfit. She _mmmed_ and smiled, "You look good."

Nick chuckled. "Well," he said, "I have this fabulous rabbit fashionista to guide me."

Judy gave a little snort of laughter and lifted up onto her tiptoes to kiss him on the end of his muzzle. "There's no fashion here, black and white is just classic." She lifted up and gave him another quick kiss, "and those shirts are still gaudy," she whispered and Nick rolled his eyes.

"You really know how to wound a guy, Carrots," he said.

Judy gave a little laugh and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tight.

"It's just because I love you," she said and right then she could have said whatever she wanted about Nick's fashion sense for all he cared.

Judy let him go and sighed, "Okay, let's get this over with," she said and pulled out her phone. She moved around Nick and hopped up to sit on the edge of his bed and Nick settled down next to her. "Now be quiet!" she warned again, "Let me handle this."

Nick made a zipping motion around his lips and placed his hand over his heart.

Judy gave him a suspicious look and brought the phone up. She took a calming breath and pressed the home button on the phone then pressed the MuzzleTime™ icon and selected the picture of her parents labeled 'Mom & Dad'. There was a little jingle as it started making the connection attempt and after a few seconds the call was answered. The picture from the other end was erratic and they could hear Judy's dad, Stu, make an alarmed cry as the image flipped around in the air and then suddenly stopped, a furry palm covering the lens for a moment. Then there was Judy's dad looking back at them.

"Hi Dad," Judy said calmly, putting a smile on her face that probably didn't look that genuine.

"Jude!" Stu said, looking distinctly nervous, "How you doing!" Distantly in the background, Judy's mother could be heard saying _'Is that Judy?'_ Stu looked suddenly more alarmed and he turned his head away.

"Sure is!" Stu called and then turned back to the phone and brought his face close and whispered, "I didn't have anything to do with this!" he said quickly as and thumping of rabbit feet hurriedly approaching was heard. The camera pulled back and the view shifted as the camera was obviously pulled out of Stu's paws by Bonnie. The camera shifted, the phone being held at arm's length. Bonnie held up a copy of the paper insert showing her and Nick kissing.

"Judith Hopps!" Bonnie said, "I assume you've seen this?" Judy gritted her teeth and Nick winced, it was never good when a parent used your full name.

"Oh no Mom," Judy said sarcastically, "I have not seen the picture that is all over the city."

"Well," said Bonnie, "I hope you're pleased with yourself!"

"Oh MY god Mom!" Judy said rolling her eyes, "It's not like we were standing there for them! We didn't even know anyone took our picture until this morning!"

"Well it's all the town is talking about!" Bonnie said indignantly.

"And that is my fault how?" Judy retorted.

Stu spoke up, trying to play peacemaker. "Now everybody, just be calm here," he said, "We're just concerned is all Jude. A bit of a shock to see our little girl kissing a fox in the morning paper. I know you've told us about this Nick fellow-"

Bonnie cut him off. "You should not be… be involved with a fox!" Bonnie said, "It isn't… isn't proper!"

Nick swallowed at the 'isn't proper' comment. _This does not bode well_ , he thought.

Stu looked uncertain but said, "I kind of have to agree with your mom here Jude."

"Why?" Judy said, throwing her free paw up into the air, "You guys are partners with Gideon!"

"We sell his pies, we're not having a threesome with him!" Bonnie said.

"MOM!" Judy said, actually shocked to hear something like that come out of her mother's mouth.

"Bonnie!" Stu said, looking just as shocked.

"Well, it's true! No rabbit has ever married a fox!" Bonnie said, looking just a bit embarrassed at what she said but still managing to sound indignant.

Nick was grimacing next to Judy and leaning slightly away now.

"Who said anything about getting married!?" Judy half yelled, "We're just dating!"

Bonnie looked at the camera, apparently trying to think of something to say, but seemed on the defensive now.

"Judy we just want to make-" Stu started but Bonnie talked over him again.

"Everybody is stopping by the stand to talk about it, some of them are not happy!" Bonnie said.

"And that is your OR my problem, how?" Judy asked, "I bet you've had a great day in sales! Am I right?"

"She has us there Bonnie," Stu said with a pleased tone, "We cleaned up today!" and Bonnie turned her head.

"Shut up Stu," Bonnie said and turned her head back. Stu clamped his mouth shut.

Nick made a little whip-cracking motion and quiet _'whhtish!'_ noise.

Judy slowly turned her head to Nick with that expression of imminent lepine violence.

Nick gulped, his muzzle had gotten the better of him again.

"Nick," Judy said coolly, "Shut up..."

Nick gave an apologetic and sheepish grin. "Yes ma'am," he said and did as he was told, not even noticing he was guilty of the very thing he had implied of Stu.

Bonnie's eyes went wide on the small screen.

"He's there?!" Bonnie asked, mortified.

"No mom," Judy said sarcastically, "Nick isn't in his own apartment and I'm not talking to anyone and nobody just said that." Judy turned the phone so they could see Nick.

"Say hi to Mom and Dad Nick!" she said.

Nick's ears fell as he was put in the spotlight and his eyes went wide. He gave a little smile and wave to the equally wide-eyed rabbits on the screen. "Hi mister and missus Hopps," he said and gulped, "Nice to, uhh, meet…you?"

Judy turned the phone back and both Bonnie and Stu tried to follow Nick off screen, as if it were a window and if they just got close enough they could still see him.

Judy looked at their expressions, especially her mother's, as the pair pulled back and suddenly her mother's grasping for one thing after another to use as ammunition made sense. She knew what this was really about.

"You think HE took advantage of ME!" she said accusingly. Bonnie and Stu looked at each other and Judy knew she had them, "Okay, now I get it. You thought that 'Oh no, that devious fox has taken advantage of our little kit!' When have I ever let anyone take advantage of me!? When have I ever not stood my ground!? And how DARE you call the mayor's office and the Chief! Are you trying to get me fired?!" Judy's voice was getting louder and angrier.

Bonnie started to talk again but Judy overran her. "Look at those pictures! Look! Does that look like he was taking advantage of me?! _I_ kissed _him_! I kissed him and dragged him back to his apartment and we had sex all night!

"Judy!" Bonnie exclaimed, Stu just looked stunned and at a loss for words, mouth hanging open.

"Mom!" Judy yelled back in similar, yet mocking, tone.

Nick gritted his teeth and steeled himself. He felt he had to intervene and put a paw on Judy's shoulder. "Whoa whoa there Judy," he said quietly, "Calm down… this is getting a bit out of paw."

Judy was ready to snap at him but the use of her name stopped her as had the paw. Her shoulders fell and she closed her eyes before taking a deep breath. Her parents were looking back at her when she opened them.

"Look," she started, exhaling and voice again calm "I love Nick, he loves me. He's sweet and gentle and you are doing him a disservice by assuming he's some creeper fox trying to get into my panties. I've known him for almost a year and we were through life threatening situations together, so I think I know him well enough. If you're not going to give him a fair chance, then there is no point in us coming there tomorrow."

Bonnie and Stu looked at each other. Stu was giving Bonnie that raised eyebrow look that said _'Come on now…'_ Judy found it ironic that it was her dad who was being the more reasonable about all this. She recalled the day she left for Zootopia and that bag of anti-fox weaponry he had tried to foist upon her and how it was her mother who had been the reasonable one. Well… reasonable-ish.

Bonnie took a breath and composed herself. "We…" Bonnie started and spared a glance at Stu, "May have overreacted a bit," she said.

Judy's anger flared once more, thinking about the calls to the mayor's office and Chief Bogo. Nick's paw tightened on her shoulder and she reigned in her temper.

"And we would… love to have you and Nick come to visit," Bonnie said. Stu looked relieved and Judy was willing to bet Mom had been a terror to be around all day.

"Okay," Judy said, voice still with a forced, calm tone, "We'll be taking the late morning train. We should be there early in the afternoon."

"Well," Bonnie said, "I guess we'll see you when you get here."

Judy nodded and flicked the 'end' icon to terminate the call.

Nick winced again, thinking that was a bit… curt.

Judy flopped back onto the bed and dropped her phone onto her chest. She brought her paws to her face and groaned. "That could have gone better," she said and sighed.

Nick laid back as well, paws clasped together on his stomach. "A bit," he said tentatively, "But they seem like… nice folks?"

Judy gave a little laugh. "They are," she said, "Trust me. They're just very overprotective."

"So you've said," Nick said dryly. From what he had heard from Judy, her parents seemed to have the opinion that Zootopia was full of dangerous characters ready to eat rabbits up at a moment's notice.

Judy pushed herself up and mmmmed down at him.

Nick felt a thrill run through his body, especially with that look Judy was giving him. He brought his paws up and slid them under her overshirt, lightly grabbing her sides.

"Oooo…," Judy said, making an O with her lips and sucking in a hissing breath, "Careful… still sore."

Nick lightened his touch and started to gently rub her sides up and down.

Judy relaxed. "Just… carefully," she said, her eyes closed, "I don't understand how I can be so sore with all the exercise."

Nick chuckled. "You will find certain… uhmm… activities tend to work muscles in different ways," Nick said, "and ones you normally don't use much."

Judy opened her eyes to look down at him, "Oh is that so doctor fox? Speaking from experience are we?" she said and started rubbing her paws up and over his firm chest.

"Mmmhmmm…" Nick hummed quietly, the touch and Judy straddling him like this making his clothing rather uncomfortable. "Carrots, if you keep this up we're not going anywhere…" he said, voice growing husky.

Judy laughed and suddenly rolled off him. "Don't tempt me," she said as she flopped onto her back and looked at him, smiling, and reached out to take his paw. "Are we crazy?" she asked him.

Nick was a bit disappointed Judy had moved off him… but not too much. "What?" Nick asked, giving her paw a squeeze, "A rabbit and a fox?"

Judy nodded and Nick shrugged.

"Probably," he said, "but love is love and It's not like we're the only ones." He pulled her paw up and kissed the back of it and Judy hummed in pleasure at him, wiggling her fingers.

"Handsome Fox," Judy said.

"Beautiful Bunny," Nick replied back with a smile.

They just looked at each other for long moments before Judy suddenly shook herself and fumbled for her phone, pulling it up to check the time.

"It's five fifteen," she said and looked to Nick, "How far is MacNelly's?" she asked.

Nick thought."About… twenty minutes if we walk," he said, "Subway is about the same, have to go around the loop."

Judy hummed. "I'm not wild about walking," she said and stretched her legs out, "I've had enough walking and exercise for one day thank you very much." She thought for a second, "I'll just call a Zuber," she said.

Nick shrugged noncommittally. "You're paying this time," he said and Judy laughed.

"Deal," she said and pulled her paw from Nick's and started tapping icons, setting a Zuber cab to pick them up at ten to seven. Once done she sighed and set her phone down next to her again.

Nick's ears suddenly shot up. "Oh!" he said, "I got something for you!"

Judy looked over at him as Nick sat up and slid off the bed. "What?" she asked and sat up as well, not without a little grunt and help of her arms.

Nick trotted over to his dresser and pulled the little black box from out of the white plastic bag. He turned around and came back over to Judy. He presented the box to her and felt suddenly shy, looking down and shrugging.

"Just a little something," he said.

Judy took the box tentatively and slowly opened it. Inside was a simple black silk choker with a small carrot made from polished stone. Judy sucked in a breath. She was not sure what the stones were but the carrot 'leaves' looked like jade and the carrot itself could be orange fire opal.

"Do you like it?" Nick asked, uncertainty in his voice.

A big smile blossomed on Judy's face. "Yes!" she said, "You sweet goof! It's perfect! Is this what you got at that other place earlier?"

Nick nodded. "I saw it in the window display," he said, relieved but still looking shy about the small gift.

Judy lifted the choker out of the box then set the box down on the bed. She handed the choker to Nick and hopped down. She turned around, "Help me put it on!" she said with excitement.

Nick reached around and brought the choker around Judy's neck, fiddling with the length adjustment before fastening it. "There," he said and stepped back.

Judy turned around and lifted her chin up. "How does it look?" she asked.

Nick gulped. It was such a simple adornment, but it looked amazing and enhanced Judy's already considerable beauty.

"Fantastic," he said and smiled.

Judy gave a little squeal and hopped up to hug him briefly around the neck but let go just as quickly to pad over to the mirror.

"Oooo," she said, "I love it! Nobody has ever given me anything like this!" she said as she examined herself in the mirror. She didn't know why she felt so ecstatic over the small token but the only thing anyone had ever given her in any kind of romantic gesture had been Billy Hopperson, and those had only been flowers.

Nick smiled, the sight of Judy's pleasure making him feel warm all over. He cleared his throat and looked at the clock on the nightstand.

"So what to do now? Got some time to burn," he said, voice unsure.

Judy knew exactly what she wanted to do… nothing too strenuous... but something. She slowly turned and walked over to Nick and put a paw against his chest, pushing him back to the bed.

"Lay back," she said, command in her voice.

Nick sat and laid back as he was told, ears splaying and eyes wide as he saw that look in Judy's eyes. He swallowed hard and sucked up a breath as she crawled up over him, her movements much more deliberate this time.

Judy smiled down at him as she started rubbing his chest again. She scooted up a bit farther over his long torso and leaned down, touching her nose to his.

"I have a few ideas, Officer Wilde," she said.


	9. Chapter 9 - Crazy Something Normal

Judy and Nick arrived at MacNelly's right at seven, both relaxed and in high spirits after spending the past hour and a half in each other's arms. They had not gotten to the point of taking clothes off again, but not everything required taking clothes off… not entirely anyways. Judy did have to retouch her makeup a bit and both needed to run a roller over themselves to get loose fur off, but they were prices both were happy to pay.

MacNelly's was fairly nondescript from the outside. The name was in large golden letters on a blue background above large glass windows. Various neon signs were in the windows in the form of logos of popular beers and one near the door blinked OPEN, displaying each letter in turn until the entire word was spelled out.

Nick and Judy walked in arm-in-arm and looked around. The interior was dark with a long bar against one wall and various round tables throughout with some booth style tables against another wall. There was a small empty area for dancing, colored lights shining down and a large screen TV mounted at a downward angle from the wall and currently playing the video of the song that was quietly playing through speakers installed around the dance area. Lighting was subdued and mostly in dim blues with red accents here and there, a nod to the fact the place was a cop bar.

There were various others here, almost all of them officers that Judy, and to a lesser extent Nick, knew or had seen around the ZPD. More than one looked their way, calls and waves came out to greet them. Both Judy and Nick waved back and called out greetings in turn. Although most of the calls were to Judy, Nick did spy a few he had gone to the Academy with.

Nick was a bit nervous, unable to help it. MacNelly's was the kind of place he avoided like the plague before his change in professions and it was just so odd to think that he was now 'one of them'.

As they made their way in they spotted Clawhauser and Howlson sitting at a big round table in the back and off to one side.

Howlson spotted them first and waved them over.

Clawhauser turned, in mid motion of eating a fried potato stick dripping cheese and white sauce. The cheetah energetically waved a paw at the both of them with a big smile on his muzzle.

Both Howlson and Clawhauser were dressed in casual clothes, the wolf in a simple white t-shirt and jean shorts. The pudgy cheetah was in a big red t-shirt with the stylized character from the movie Pig Hero 6 emblazoned on it and also wearing denim shorts.

"Hi guys! 'bout time you came out Judy!" Clawhauser said around a mouthful as they drew close, then his eyes went wide, "Ooo, I got something for you!" He sucked several fingers clean one by one then stuffed the paw into a pocket, pulling out a wad of folded paper. He opened the bundle up and smoothed the contents out on the table, which turned out to be two envelopes. He then handed one to Judy and the other to Nick. Each crumpled envelope had their names printed on the front. "Mayor's assistant dropped those off a while ago," he said and stuffed another cheese fry into his mouth, making pleased _nmmm_ noises, "So good…"

Judy took her envelope and eyed the cheetah, wondering how he passed his PT tests. "Ben, you're going to eat yourself to death," she said and the cheetah's expression fell.

"I know…" he said dejectedly but then brightened as he ate another fry, "But it'll be delicious until then!"

Judy shook her head and smiled and she and Nick looked at the envelopes, knowing they were the cards promised earlier.

"What's that?" Howlson asked curiously as Nick climbed up on a stool, Judy had to spin the round seat around to raise hers up higher before climbing up beside Nick.

"Part of our punishment," Nick said wryly and refolded the envelope, stuffing it into a pocket.

Judy settled on her seat and started to open her own envelope, pulling the card out of it and looking at it. "We get to be poster kids for the Mammal Inclusion Initiative for the next week," Judy said with some irritation.

Howlson raised his eyebrows. "How's that?" he asked. Before either Judy or Nick could say anything Clawhauser spoke up.

"Mayor's trying to capitalize on the pictures in the paper," he said while dipping a fry into a tub of ranch dressing, "They're officially to be seen smooching in public as much as possible."

Judy's ears fell. "That is _not_ what they said! We're just supposed to be seen doing things together!"

Nick snickered and Clawhauser leaned over and stage whispered. "Smooching," he said with all seriousness, "Lots of smooching."

Judy made a noise and pushed the fat cheetah away then suddenly remembered this morning. She pointed a finger at Clawhauser.

"You!" she said accusingly and Clawhauser stopped with another fry halfway to his muzzle.

"Me?" he asked, trying to look and sound innocent.

"You're behind the betting!" Judy said.

Clawhauser smiled and popped the fry into his mouth and _mmmphed_. He chewed for a moment then swallowed. "And I have made bank on it too!" he said with glee, "You guys have paid for a new TV!"

Judy made a disgusted noise and Howlson barked out a laugh.

Nick chuckled as well and leaned in. "So what's the spread? I have some money to put down," he said.

Judy turned her head to give Nick a look as Clawhauser snorted, turning his nose up.

"I can't let you do that, " Clawhauser said, "You have inside information."

Nick noticed the look Judy was giving him and lifted his shoulders. "What?" he said, "I may be a cop but I'm up for some good odds."

Judy sighed and shook her head.

"At least tell me what the bet is," Nick asked.

Clawhauser licked a smear of dressing from a finger and smiled. "Two pools," he said, "First is how long until you two call it quits… but nobody is really putting money down there, the odds are waaay high. Second is how long until you get married."

"What?!" both Judy and Nick said at once and Howlson laughed again.

"That's where I put my money!" the wolf said.

Nick and Judy looked at each other, Nicks ears splayed and Judy's down. They both knew at an intellectual level that any kind of thoughts along those lines were, at best, extremely premature but in the middle of the chemical fueled start of their relationship it was something that had passed in the back of their minds more than once.

Judy cleared her throat, ears burning horribly. "We are just dating, guys!" Judy said defensively.

Clawhauser rolled his eyes. He swirled a fry in the dressing and gave Judy a knowing look, muzzle resting on his other paw. "You just keep telling yourself that honey," he said, "you have been pining for that fox for months."

Judy's eyes went wide. "I have not!" she squeaked.

Clawhauser popped the fry into his muzzle. "Mmmhmmm," he said with a knowing look and smile then _mmmphed!_ and swallowed hurriedly. "Can I be the flower girl?" he asked, "Please?"

Judy groaned and waved a paw at the Cheetah. Howlson laughed again and shook his head before taking a drink of his beer.

Judy looked at Nick, who was still staring at her and Judy had to look away, chest tight at the thoughts.

They were rescued by a big lioness in a tight white t-shirt and jeans, a bar towel slung over one shoulder.

"Hey guys," she said to Nick and Judy, "Get you anything to drink?"

Nick blinked and turned his gaze away from Judy. "Uhmm, " Nick said, shifting his thoughts elsewhere, "What you have on tap?"

The lioness started ticking off names on a paw. "Black Ram Stout, Red Oak Hill Lager, Hoppus Bitter, Ramstel Lite, and Rolling Stone," she said, "The Red Oak is really good right now, just tapped a new keg."

Nick _mmmed_ thoughtfully for a second, "I'll go with that," he said.

"What about you hon?" the lioness asked Judy.

Judy was about to just say water but… She looked at Nick. "SO," she said, "as someone who doesn't know her drinks what would you suggest?"

Nick raised his eyebrows, not expecting her to go for anything alcoholic. He pursed his lips and looked at her appraisingly for a moment then shifted his eyes to the bartending without turning his head.

"Can you do frozen carrot bombs?" he asked and the lioness nodded.

"Sure can," she said and Nick nodded.

"She'll have one of those, " he said then amended with a raised finger, "A small one."

The lioness nodded. "You guys need menus?"

Nick turned his eyes back to Judy, "You hungry?" he asked and Judy nodded.

"I could eat," she said, her stomach was rumbling a bit now… those fries of Clawhauser's _did_ look and smell good.

Nick nodded at the bartender.

"Gotcha," she said and looked at the other two, "You guys good?"

Howlson lifted his mostly empty beer glass. "I'll take another," he said.

"More ranch?" Clawhauser said and the bartender nodded and moved off back behind the bar.

Just then the McHorn boys came through the doorway with DelGato and Fangmeyer in tow, all dressed in civilian clothes. Fangmeyer spotted the small group and pointed, and began heading their way.

"Well I'll be," Fangmeyer said and reached out to ruffle Judy's head, "They weren't kidding! You did come out!"

Judy _errphed_ and closed her eyes, putting up with the ruffling. It was patronizing but all the guys, while they respected her, also tended to see her as their little sister too. It was annoying but sweet so she put up with it… and it came in handy sometimes.

"Hi guys," Judy said, running her paws over her head and down her ears to smooth her fur back down and Nick raised a paw to the newcomers as well.

They all pulled up seats, the McHorn boys having to grab the extra-large ones from another table.

Frank raised a hand and caught the bartender's attention.

"Can we get a few pitchers of Red Oak?" he asked and the lioness inclined her head without comment as she bustled behind the bar. They all settled into their seats and George leaned in.

"Hey Hopps," he said with a grin, "I hear you had an interesting day!" Everybody around the table gave knowing chuckles.

Nick gave Judy one of those sly sidelong surreptitious looks, a slight grin on his muzzle.

Judy sighed heavily. "Yes Georgie, "Judy said, giving him a bored look, "You could say that."

Clawhauser's eyes went wide. "Oh. M. Goodness," he said, "The Chief was being sooooper nice to everybody, it was scary! Did you guys get in trouble? I tried to text you!"

Judy shrugged. "No, not really," she said… yet again the conversation all about her and Nick.

"They gotta go meet her parents," DelGato added in helpfully and Frank started to chuckle. Looks turned to the tiger. "Her mom kept calling the Chief, so to get her to stop he told her that they would come visit as an extension of the MII, then sent me and Frank after them. Oh you should have seen the look on McFluff's face when she opened the door and saw us standing there."

Nick _did_ see the look on Judy's face right then and leaned over to whisper quietly. "Relax, Carrots," he said, "It's all in good fun."

Judy grunted and looked at him briefly but started to relax. She was slowly getting used to being the focus of attention. Not that she was not used to attention. There was all the scrutiny on her at the academy, being the first rabbit officer, and all the fallout from the missing mammals case that gained her quite a bit of notoriety, but this kind of attention was of an all more personal nature. It would not be so bad if it didn't mostly revolve around her and Nick's relationship but she decided that she could continue to be upset about it or just accept it. There was no turning back the clock to change the situation, not that she wanted to in regards to Nick, but it would have been nice to at least avoid their faces in the paper like that. It wasn't like anyone was being mean about it though, and when she finally realized that it went a long way to that acceptance.

George peered at her from across the table, squinting his eyes in the dim light. "Hey Hopps, " he said and Judy looked to him, "Are you wearin' makeup?"

Judy's ears fell and burned again as all heads swiveled to her. She sighed. "Yes Georgie," she said calmly, "I am."

There was a silence around the table for a moment and glances were exchanged before heads turned to Nick.

"Hey, " Nick said, holding up his paws defensively, "She just came out of the bathroom like that."

This got a few snorts of amusement except for Clawhauser, who had his paws up to his cheeks and was starting to make a delighted squeal.

"What?!" Judy asked her ire rising, "I'm wearing makeup, so what?"

"You never wear makeup for nothin'," Frank said, "boy you really do have it bad for him."

Judy pursed her lips as the chuckles began again and Nick decided he should step in. "Okay, okay guys, " he said and put an arm around Judy, "Let's lay off the lady, she's had about all the ribbing she can take for one day." This seemed to get through and they all turned their heads away, looking at the table or elsewhere, someone cleared a throat.

"Ahh, we don't mean anythin' by it, " Frank said and the others nodded, "We're just happy for you guys and glad to see you mellow out a bit, ya know?"

Judy relaxed again and smiled. "It's okay guys, " she said, "It has just been very long, very strange day."

DelGato rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, that whole thing with the paper _was_ kinda messed up," the tiger said to sounds of agreement around the table.

Just then the bartender lioness rescued them again, sliding up to the table with a big tray laden with drinks and three pitchers of amber liquid. She set the pitchers down first, two going to the McHorn brothers and the third going between Fangmeyer and DelGato, each getting an empty glass. A large, large for Judy anyways, rounded glass on a squat stem was placed in front of Judy and filled with an orange slush with a straw sticking up out of it. Nick and Howlson got their beers, Clawhauser got his ranch, and the lioness set down a stack of menus for everyone.

"Let me know when you're ready to order anything else," she said and moved back to the bar.

Judy leaned in and sniffed at the drink. Carroty and some other sweet scents, pineapple for sure. She pulled the straw to her muzzle and took a tentative pull. It was good, really good in fact. Carrot was the dominant flavor but with added sweetness of pineapple and what she thought was apple juice plus some other odd flavor she could not place. It didn't really taste alcoholic at all and she wondered if Nick had slyly ordered her a non-alcoholic drink.

"Mmmmm…" she hummed and smacked her lips, "That's good! You want to try some?" she asked Nick and he held up a paw.

"No thanks, Carrots," he said, "I can't drink tequila, I break out in handcuffs."

Judy snorted a little laugh. "You've never been arrested," she said, "I know."

Nick winked at her. "Just a little joke of mine," he said, "but I avoid the hard stuff."

Judy _hmmed_ at Nick thoughtfully and took another sip of the tasty frozen drink.

The conversation around the table broke into various topics and Judy and Nick started to review the menus. This was no high-class place so the food was all simple fare. Lots of fried items, cricket burgers, salads, anything that was easy to put together in a limited kitchen.

Judy decided on a fresh greens salad despite the temptation to get the greasy cheese fries, as good as they looked.

Nick scanned the menu, not really finding anything he wanted and he found he was not even that hungry even though he had not eaten since breakfast.

He leaned over to Judy. "Split some fries with me?" he asked.

Judy nodded. "I was looking at those," she said, "but I'm going to get fat if we keep eating like this."

Nick eyed her and Judy looked up at him.

"What?" she asked.

"I think you would be adorable with a little pooch," he said and Judy's ears fell as the insides turned pink.

"You say the sweetest things, Nick," she said dryly and Nick laughed.

Nick set his menu down and noticed that half of the frozen carrot bomb in Judy's glass was now gone and she was sucking down even more of it as he watched.

"Whoa whoa whoa there Drinky McFluff," Nick said and reached over and physically pushed Judy back with a paw on her forehead while the other paw pushed the drink back.

"Hey!" Judy said indignantly, pushing Nick's arm away and glaring at him.

"You need to pace yourself there, Carrots," Nick said, resting his arms on the table and taking another drink of his beer, "I don't want to have to carry you home with you throwing up all over me."

Judy snorted. "There can't be that much in there," she said dismissively, "I can't even taste any alcohol!"

Nick rolled his eyes. "That's how they get you," he said, "Just sit there, you'll feel in a minute."

"Fine," Judy muttered.

"You've been on a few drunk and disorderly calls I'm sure," Nick said, "Do you really want to be hanging off everyone saying 'I love you guys!'? Plus you haven't eaten anything since this morning."

This gave Judy pause, he did have a point. She had been on enough calls where someone had drank too much and were incoherent or worse.

"Okay," she said in concession, "You're right."

"Of course I am," Nick said with a smile which earned him a little punch in the arm which he chose to ignore, just giving her that sly sidelong smile of his.

The bartender returned to take orders and Nick and Judy put theirs in as did a couple of the others.

They were mostly quiet as the others talked, but after a few minutes Judy began to notice a warm tingle in her belly and she could feel her perception subtly shifting. She sucked some air through her teeth.

"Okay," she said again, "You _were_ right."

"Told you," Nick said and looked down at Judy who was staring at her glass, the alcohol starting to take a firmer hold. "You said you were tipsy before? From what?"

Judy looked up at him. "What?" she asked, "Oh, uh, champagne. I was at a wedding."

Nick nodded. "Okay, you remember that feeling?" he asked and Judy nodded in reply, "That's where you want to be. Maintain that and don't go overboard." Nick narrowed his eyes, looking at Judy, "You might be able to handle two of those, depending on how long we're here."

Judy nodded again slowly, it seemed like sound advice. She was definitely at the 'tipsy' stage already but she _really_ wanted another sip of that drink. She sighed and resisted. "I will defer to your vast experience, oh wise fox," Judy said and Nick chuckled.

Nick leaned over and gave her an affectionate smooch on the cheek, making Judy's ears heat. She nuzzled him back, a different kind of heat rising. They heard one of those squeals of joy from Clawhauser and both turned to look at him, he was staring back at them with rapt attention, his elbows on the table and his muzzle propped up on his paws.

"You two are just so adorable!" he said and then mouthed the words 'flower girl' with raised eyebrows at Judy. Judy let out a sudden bark of laughter at the thought, the alcohol having started to loosen her typically tight control.

"Ben," she said and looked up adoringly at Nick, who was looking rather uncertain, "When and if we get married you can be the flower girl."

"Yes!" Clawhauser said, both paws thrusting up into the air.

Frank McHorn, sitting next to Clawhauser, turned. "What?" he said, "What I miss?"

Ben wriggled with pleasure. "I get to be the flower girl at their wedding!"

Frank looked at Nick and Judy with wide eyes, other heads turned to look at them as well. "You two are getting married? Already?" he said in disbelief.

Nick laughed and so did Judy who held up her paws.

"No! No!" she said, "We are NOT getting married! I just told Ben he could be the flower girl IF we do!"

This caused everyone at the table to laugh and DelGato pointed at Clawhauser.

"You would make one ugly flower girl," he said.

Clawhauser's face fell and he looked down dejectedly. "Oh…" he said, which caused another round of laughter, but it was all in fun, and Clawhauser didn't take it personally as he looked up and chuckled along with everyone else after a moment.

The night progressed and Judy took Nick's advice, pacing herself with little slips. The drink melted slowly, but even then it was still tasty. She found that as the night went on she started to care less about the feeling, she still felt in control so guessed it was okay.

Nick relaxed as well, the second beer putting his nervousness at being at a cop bar to rest and the third loosening his muzzle up enough to start contributing to the conversations. The others seemed to see him as one of them, even if he was still fresh out of the academy and despite his questionable past. A couple of those he had trained with came over to talk for a bit too, and the conversation shifted to stories of the Academy under the tutelage of Ursula, some of the veterans chiming in as well since most of those here had trained with the big polar bear.

Judy found she was actually having fun, much to her surprise. She had heard alcohol called 'the social lubricant' and she now understood what was meant by that. She started to join in the conversations along with Nick, having a few stories of her own and gave the entire group a retelling of some of the most exciting parts of her and Nick's adventures during the missing mammal case.

Nick kept a careful eye on Judy as she started on her second carrot bomb, but she seemed to hold her own in that regard.

Eventually, Judy wanted to do something else. The drink was having an odd effect on her. She wanted to move, she wanted… something but could not exactly figure out what. She looked over to the dance area that was still empty. The large screen TV angled down at the dance floor played the video of some pop song, the music piped throughout the bar at a low level. She eyed the machine on the wall next to the dance area and smiled, hopped off her seat, and grabbed Nick's paw.

"Come on," she said and Nick blinked.

"Where are we going?" he asked and Judy smiled back and up at him as she towed him along.

"We're going to dance," she said with a grin.

Nick's ears splayed out. "We are?" he said.

Judy gave a little laugh. "Yup," she said as she pulled Nick across the small dance floor, letting his paw go when he was in the middle of it, "Stay!"

Nick stayed, watching Judy pad over to the machine mounted to the wall.

Judy stepped up to the sleek looking device. Thankfully there were a couple of small steps for her to climb up so she could access the brightly colored touchscreen. The screen displayed a smaller version of the video currently playing but stopped as she prodded it with a finger. A menu popped up, the garish letters across the top proclaiming "Video Dance! Play all your favorite songs off Zootube!" Below that, in smaller letters, it said: "Free to use for our Boys and Girls in Blue!" Judy made a 'huh' noise and poked the large 'Search' icon. A search box and a virtual keyboard popped up and Judy thought about what she wanted. She wanted something that summed up the day, something fitting the events but also fitting her happy mood… but something else as well. She smiled as she thought of the perfect songs to play and punched the letters. The first song was easily found and queued up. The second was a bit harder to find. Not exactly hard just that there were a plethora of covers of it that showed up. Judy saw one by someone she didn't know but thought it looked good given the ridiculously ripped, shirtless black panther that was shown, so she selected that then hit the play button.

She hopped off the steps, a little giddy now. She had never been dancing before, not really, not like this, and it was exciting. It would also be another first with Nick.

Nick stood in the middle of the dance floor and watched as Judy worked the machine. He was a little nervous now, he was not the greatest dancer… but with Judy, what did it matter? He saw Judy eventually punch the start button and then hop back off the steps as the first song and video began to play. The screen came alive with a white setting with several animals laying on the ground, seeming inside a glass box of some sort. The title popped up in the lower left corner:

SavannahBoy

Crazy Something Normal

WeasleBros Music Group

 _ **Authors Note: I highly** **recommend** **you go to youtube and find:**_ ** _donkeyboy - Crazy Something Normal_** _ **for reference...and watch Nick and Judy dance in the theater of the mind ;)**_

The video started with the beat and music, some kind of synth or electro pop, started as the animals laying on the ground, an impala, tiger, a zebra, and a lion, starting to 'wake up' in apparent confusion.

Nick arched an eyebrow as the video took a bizarre turn as the scene shifted to other animals dressed up in costumes that were apparently big aerosol cans.

The small collection of colored lights surrounding the dance area started to come alive, synced to the music, and the volume increased noticeably. Nick's attention, however, was drawn back to Judy, who was still facing away but now backing up towards him. Her hips shifted back and forth in time with the music, little puff of a tail flicking back and forth with her hips, mesmerizing Nick. She slid her arms up her thighs, torso and pushed her arms up into air, palms up towards the ceiling. She then turned as the song started picking up, mouthing the opening 'Whoa a-oh! Whoa a-oh!' to Nick as she danced closer to him slowly and reached out to him and he took her paws.

 _Champagne glass_

 _And a merlot_ _wine_

 _With an old guy staring at his broken time_

Nick smiled and started to move until they were right up against each other. Judy turned, rubbing back against him, her arms moving back and paws feeling his hips. Nick had to admit the song was catchy and he started to lose himself in the music as Judy already had. Neither of them were good dancers, but you really didn't have to be, not when you were with the one you loved… and a nice buzz certainly helped.

As the song played another couple joined them on the floor, but neither Nick or Judy paid them any attention, only having eyes for each other. The dancing was inexpert, and Judy tended to be the more energetic with her strong legs putting more bounce to her steps. At one point Nick spun Judy around in a little pirouette and pulled her in against his front, making her laugh in delight.

Nick thought he understood why Judy picked this song when it came to a pair of verses. Judy sang the lyrics to him, looking up at him adoringly with half lidded eyes.

 _Living how we wanna_

 _Whoa oh!_

 _Speeding through the life_

 _Crazy Something Normal_

 _Whoa oh!_

 _We don't need advice_

 _Living in the color_

 _Whoa oh!_

 _There's no black and white_

 _Crazy Something Normal_

 _Whoa oh!_

 _We're Taking off tonight_

As the song started to reach the end, Judy danced backward, away from Nick, and started singing the end chorus, making 'follow' motions with her paw.

 _If you don't know where come follow me_

 _If you don't know where come follow me_

 _In the midnight air no I don't sleep_

 _If you don't know where come follow me_

Nick followed after her as she danced backward slowly around the small space. As the song started its quiet outro, Judy hopped forward and pressed her head against his chest and hugged him, arms wrapping him tightly. He hugged her back and found he was more relaxed and happy that he had been in a long, long time. Such a simple thing… a dance with a pretty rabbit girl, a light buzz, and not a care in the world. _I could marry her_ , he thought, _right here, right now, I could so easily._

Judy looked at him, a silly smile on her face, and a definite flush to her ears that was not from any embarrassment. "Pick me up," she said.

Nick raised an eyebrow but did as asked, squatting down to lift her up. She wrapped her legs around him and he cupped his paws under her rump as the next song started. He didn't catch the opening title but a tribal-like drum beat began and the screen faded into overhead black and white shots of a beach cut with others of a buff looking black panther and strong looking white female tiger in close, sensual, contact. A low synth started and it sounded familiar but as the panther started singing he understood. Judy was looking right at him, her eyes locked on his as she mouthed the lyrics at him.

 **Authors Note: Again, highly recommend looking up the cover on youtube: WICKED GAME - (Chris Isaak Cover)**

 _The world was on fire and no one could save me but you._

 _It's strange what desire will make foolish lovers do._

 _I never dreamed that I'd meet somebody like you._

 _And I never dreamed that I'd lose somebody like you._

Judy deliberately changed the one line like she did last night and exaggeratedly mouthed love instead of lose. Nick started to slowly move with the music. He had not heard this version of the song before but it seemed to have more power behind it than the original. The drums, the piano, the deep low voice of the panther made something stir in him, his chest tight like it got when he thought about his love for this little rabbit. He began mouthing the lyrics back to Judy, staring intently into her eyes as she stared back into his.

 _What a wicked game to play to make me feel this way._

 _What a wicked thing to do, to make me dream of you._

 _What a wicked thing to say, that you never felt this way._

 _What a wicked thing to do, to make me dream of you_

As the song's last words drifted into silence Judy turned her head slightly to one side and Nick turned his the other way and slowly they began to kiss. Nick had the hoppy taste of beer, Judy of carrots.

* * *

The group at the table had watched the two move off to dance, giving little quiet chuckles and comments as they watched the two dance for a bit but the conversation turned back to a story George McHorn was telling about an incident from earlier in the week.

Howlson took a drink of his current beer but did a doubletake as he set it down, seeing the two in the middle of the dance floor kissing.

"So I had this guy up against the car and he says," McHorn was saying and Howlson interrupted.

"Hey hey hey!" he said, gesturing to Nick and Judy, "Look at those two!"

Heads turned and someone let out a low whistle.

"Holy crap," DelGato said, "They must be able to feel each other's tonsils!"

Clawhauser made a squeal of delight.

"Get a room you two!" Fangmeyer called and the two suddenly broke the kiss.

Frank leaned over to Clawhauser. "So, what's the odds now?" he asked.

* * *

They pulled apart at the catcall from Fangmeyer and Judy gave an embarrassed little laugh, ducking her head into Nick's neck.

Nick chuckled as well and set Judy down and they made their way back to the table, trying to be as nonchalant about it as they could. They climbed back up into their chairs, avoiding the looks of amusement directed their way, each taking a sip of the drinks they had left.

Frank McHorn chuckled and shook his head. "You two are somethin' else," he said, chuckling, "Fox and a rabbit… never seen that before."

His brother ribbed him lightly. "That's what I told him earlier!" George said gesturing at Nick and laughed.

"Well I think they're adorable," said Fangmeyer, "Perfect match if ever I saw one."

Judy and Nick gave each other little looks of embarrassment but they were both smiling.

Nick _ahemed_ and waved a paw in a regal manner. "Nothing to see here you guys," he said, "Just us foxes and rabbits… carry on."

That got snorts of amusement and chuckles from all, but after a bit the group turned back to the story Frank had been in the middle of.

Nick looked at Judy and she looked back at him, both of them feeling flushed and with more than a little buzz caused not just by the alcohol.

Judy ducked her head down, a smile on her lips and pulled her drink closer, half of a melted carrot bomb still there, and sucked some from the straw.

They listened for a few minutes as McHorn finished his story and Nick looked a Judy, who was in the middle of a big yawn.

Nick leaned over. "About time to go, Carrots?" he asked and she nodded.

"Uh huh," Judy said and blinked.

Nick sat back up. "Well, guys," he said, "I think we're going to call it a night."

The others turned and Frank said,"Alright. Good to see you out Hopps, you better come out again!"

Judy smiled, a little bashful still, but nodded. "I will! This was fun," she said. DelGato made a noise and arched his back.

"I need to get going too," the big tiger said, "Told the missus I would not be out too late." He looked to Nick and Judy, "You guys need a lift? You live just down the road, don't you Wilde?"

Nick nodded. "I do indeed," he said then paused, "You okay to drive?"

DelGato nodded back. "Yeah," he said, "I only had two. If I drove home lit up I would lose my hide."

That got a few chuckles.

"Give Donna my love," Frank said and DelGato pointed at the big rhino.

"Stay away from my wife you big pervert," he said and everybody laughed, including Nick and Judy.

Nick waved the Bartender over and when she made it to the table Nick had pulled the envelope out Clawhauser had given him. He extracted the shiny new government card and gave it to her.

"I got us," he said, waving a finger between him and Judy and the lioness nodded, padding off to run the bill. He looked down at Judy and saw that she had sucked the remainder of her drink down since they had gotten back to their seats.

"Oh boy," he said, "You probably should not have done that."

Judy waved a paw at him. "Shush," she said, "I'm a big girl."

Nick debated that, watching her start to sway slightly in her seat. "Okay then," he said in that tone that said 'you asked for it'. The bartender returned and Nick scrawled his signature over the receipt, leaving a nice tip, and pocketed the card. He hopped off the seat and DelGato followed suit. Nick reached up to offer Judy a helping paw down but she ignored it and hopped down herself, and nearly fell over.

"Wooah," she said and wobbled, Nick reaching out to steady her, "Okay… you were right about that too."

Nick started to open his mouth and Judy held up a finger. "Don't say it!" she said as she rallied herself and stood up straight.

"Yes ma'am," Nick said but with a little amusement. Judy would be okay, she would not end up hugging the toilet crying and vomiting her guts out, but she might reach the 'Oh gods why is the room spinning' level of intoxication.

Judy sucked in a breath and pushed her paws out.

DelGato had stepped up next to them and was peering down. "Everything okay down there?" he asked and Judy answered first, looking back up at him.

"Fine! Ev…everything is fine!" she said.

DelGato arched an eyebrow at Nick and Nick winked back at him with a sly smile."It's all good," he said and turned back to the table, "See you guys later, was a lovely evening. I just need to get Drinky McCarrots here home and into bed."

Judy slapped his arm and everyone laughed. "Jerk," she said, but there was no anger in it.

There were a few additional calls of farewell and raised paws.

"Yeah," Nick said and offered his arm to Judy, "but I'm your jerk."

This made Judy smile and they headed for the exit, if a little bit unsteadily.

* * *

They arrived in front of Nick's apartment about ten minutes later, the streets of this part of town nearly empty this time of night.

"Thanks for the lift," Nick said to DelGato.

"Yeah, thanks John," Judy said and gave him a little wave as they slid out of the back seat and onto the sidewalk.

DelGato held up a paw. "Don't mention it, you guys take care!" he said and drove away after Nick shut the door.

Judy groaned and put a paw to her head. "Everything is starting to… spin." Nick opened his muzzle and Judy whipped a paw up, finger extended up.

"Don't say it!" Judy said.

Nick clicked his muzzle shut and offered his arm again, which Judy took gratefully. They made it into Nick's apartment, Judy wobbling a bit.

"You going to be okay?" he asked, knowing she would be but still not wanting to see her feeling ill.

Judy sighed and rubbed her head. "I think so," she said, "I... just want to crawl into bed."

"Okay, come on then," Nick said and guided her to the bedroom. He inwardly cursed, having left the window open, but the fresh breeze that lifted the curtains was pleasant and since nobody had robbed him blind he guessed there was no harm, not that it was a bad neighborhood to begin with. Nick flicked the light on and Judy squinted.

"Ugh! Turn that off!" she complained and Nick did, it had been rather glaring and there was enough moonlight to see by, plus a bit of a street light down the road leaked in as well. "So…," Judy mumbled, "This is drunk." She shuffled to the bed and shrugged her overshirt off, letting it fall, but Nick caught it before it hit the floor. Judy plopped herself onto the edge of the bed.

"This is too drunk," Nick corrected, "I warned you about maintaining," he said as he moved to stand in front of her. She looked up and blinked at him, then lifted her arms. Nick understood what she wanted and leaned in to pull her t-shirt up and off. He cleared his throat and looked away, moving to lay her clothes on the top of the dresser. He turned around and steeled himself. Judy sitting there in the moonlight, bare chested and wearing that choker, was something to see.

Judy laid back and started to squirm and wriggle, working her shorts and panties down at the same time and kicking them off. She laid there, panting.

"I'm guessing you don't want to bother with night clothes?" he asked and she waved a lazy paw at him.

"No," she said, "Just… just wanna crawl under the covers," she said and placed a paw over one eye. Nick was feeling a bit guilty now, he should have been watching her and stopped her from gulping down the rest of that drink. She probably got the better part of the shot in that half glass of melted carrot bomb.

"Sorry," he said and started to undress.

"For..what?" Judy asked.

"I should have been watching you," Nick said and set his shirt down on top of Judy's.

Judy _mmmphed_ and slowly sat up, "Okay, I'll blame you then," she said teasingly and started to crawl to the head of the bed, pulling the still mussed sheets down.

"Oh boy, whew," she said. The room might be aired out but the sheets needed changing.

"Yeah…" Nick said, cringing, "Really should've changed those."

Judy made a grunt of disinterest and pulled them down, giving them a little wave. "It's fine," she said, "It's just us… s'not like we peed all over it."

This struck Nick as particularly funny and he nearly tripped himself trying to get out of his jeans. He left the pants on the floor and moved over to the bed. Judy was propped up on one elbow, looking at him. She still had the choker on. He motioned with a finger to her.

"Come here," he said and she blinked, but scooted over. Nick reached behind her neck and undid the choker.

"Oh!" Judy said, "I'd forgotten about that."

Nick set it on the nightstand and smiled. "I noticed… and it looks splendid on you naked by the way," he said.

Judy snorted and flopped onto her back. She moved back over to make room for Nick and he climbed in next to her, pulling the covers up to their chests.

Judy snuggled up close to him and made a pleased _mmmmmm_. "S'better," she said sleepily.

Nick didn't reply and just pressed himself back against her snuggling. Judy settled down and seemed to drift off over the next few minutes, but Nick was not exactly sleepy. They had slept a large chunk of the day away, and the beers had taken their toll, but not so much to make him too tired.

He half dozed, arms up with hands behind his head as he looked up at the ceiling and contemplated the day's events. He had dealt with something that he honestly didn't think he ever would, thanks to Judy. His thoughts then drifted to the idea of marriage that had popped up more than once as well. It was not something he had seriously contemplated before. There had been Svetlana, of course, but he didn't think that really counted. _Too young and dumb at that age to make decisions like that and have any real idea of what you are talking about,_ he thought _._ Now, however, when he thought about getting married to Judy, as premature as that idea was, it just made him smile. He could do that. He could marry this rabbit girl from the country and be perfectly fine with that.

Then there were Judy's parents. _Oh boy_ , he thought. He really would have to be on his best behavior. He still wasn't sure what to make of Judy's folks. Dad seemed okay, but it was obvious who wore the pants in the family so it was Mom he would have to win over. He thought he was up to the job but he would need to tread carefully.

Judy suddenly roused next to him, inhaling deeply and suddenly, seeming to come awake. She started to snuggle against him, letting the breath out gradually. Her breathing then became slow and deep. She nuzzled up his side and began to lightly nibble at his shoulder.

Nick swallowed as his own body reacted.

Judy lifted a leg and moved it over his own, rubbing herself gently against him.

"Nick," she said in an almost whisper.

Nick swallowed. "Yeah Carrots?" he said in a quiet voice.

"You remember when we were in the pit at the museum?" she asked, rubbing her chest against his side.

"Kind of hard to forget," Nick said uncertainly.

"You remember when you pretended to go savage?" she said and scooted up a little so she could start nuzzling up to his neck.

"Yuh…yes," Nick said, his voice now rough.

"You remember how you bit my neck?" she asked, her voice husky now.

"Yeah," he said, almost breathless.

"Do you… think you could do that again?"


	10. Chapter 10 - A Brief Misadventure

Ten minutes later...

Nick felt something give in his teeth and Judy yelped. His jaws sprang open and he lurched off her, his ears splayed and eyes wide.

"Ow!" Judy whined as Nick slid to the floor. He went to turn on the light as Judy was just beginning to push herself up to all fours.

"Stay put!" Nick said as he flipped the light switch.

"Nooooo!" Judy cried and pressed her face down into a pillow. "Turn it off!" she yelled, voice muffled.

"Shush," Nick said when he moved back to the bed and leaned over, peering down at Judy's neck. He was horrified to see two little spots of red blooming on her scruff.

"Oh Geez, " he muttered and started backing out of the room, holding a finger up. "Just... uh, stay there! Don't move!" he said and scurried out the door.

Judy finally pushed herself all the way up and reached up to feel her neck with a paw, feeling something wet. She pulled her paw back, opening her eyes just a little. Squinting against the light, she saw the white fur of her fingers and palm smeared with a little blood.

"You bit me!" Judy accused loudly.

"You asked me to!" Nick called back from the bathroom amid sounds of rummaging.

"I'm bleeding!" Judy in the same accusatory tone. She reached back and felt her neck again, fingers probing, "Ow, ow, " she hissed.

"I hadn't noticed!" Nick said sarcastically as he hurried back down the hall. He wobbled a bit as he came in; neither of them was exactly sober, after all. He was carrying a small white towel, a bottle of rubbing alcohol, and a tube of some ointment.

"You bit me!" Judy said again, staring at the blood on her paw.

"You were very insistent about it!" Nick replied defensively as he climbed back up onto the bed, "These teeth are pointy for a reason, sweetheart! In fact, I'm pretty sure they just did exactly what they were originally designed to do!"

Judy sat up, grunting as she poked at the spots on her neck.

He batted her paw away.

"Stop touching it!" he said. "Let me look."

Nick felt terrible. It wasn't that some of his previous partners had not indulged in such things before, but they had not been a small little rabbit, either. _I should have known better,_ he thought.

Judy stopped fussing and let Nick doctor her, wincing as he parted her fur around the small wounds and dabbed at them. She put her paw, the unbloodied one, against her forehead. The room had stopped spinning, but she still felt plenty intoxicated.

"What was I thinking," she groaned, but she knew exactly what she had been thinking. That stupid book with the slutty jack rabbit. She had no idea why she had started to think of the trashy novel, only that she had been.

"It was that stupid book," she said.

Nick peered at the little punctures, ears splaying out. They were small and had already stopped bleeding, but the flesh around them was starting to swell. "Hmm?" he asked, distracted by his guilt as he sat back and opened the bottle of alcohol, "What book?"

Judy waved a paw before letting it flop down. "The one... that pirate one," she said tiredly.

"The Wanton Wench?" Nick supplied helpfully and began to clean the spots with a corner of the towel soaked in alcohol.

Judy nodded, then sucked in a breath as she felt the sting. "There's a lot of biting in that... " she said and sighed, "It seemed like a good idea at the time..."

In fact, at first it had been rather nice... more than nice really, with Nick mouthing and nibbling her throat. Then she urged him to bite her scruff and... well... what did she expect? The stupid book was also full of the same kind of results from such... things... so she didn't know why she was so surprised. _Dumb, stupid bunny_ , she thought.

Nick grunted and sat back, looking at Judy's neck. He flipped open the cap on the tube of antibiotic ointment.

"Maybe," he said, but was pretty sure that it was not just the books.

He had been around enough females in his time. _It's always the innocent ones who turn out to be crazy in bed_ , he thought, and Judy fit that characterization to a T. Idealistic, focused, and inexperienced in the weird, wild world of adult relations she was now exploring.

 _Oh boy, what have I gotten myself into?_ he thought... but it wasn't necessarily a complaint.

"You just might be into pred-prey stuff and not know it," Nick said.

"I am not!" Judy exclaimed. The very idea... the idea... Judy's eyes slowly opened wider as she thought about it.

The books, the fantasies, the occasional 'innocent' look at something on the net... that bite... it had not been that bad, had it? Just a little pain... she had had worse many times, she... She brought her paws over her muzzle.

"Oh my gods, I'm a pervert," she whispered.

Nick barked out a laugh and Judy turned her head to glare at him.

"What?" he said. "You're not a perv, Fluff." He chuckled and shook his head. "It's not like it's that strange, anyway. Unexpected from you, maybe, but not strange."

Judy huffed but was not sure she agreed. Putting a name to her interests made it seem somehow... dirty. She drew too much from those stupid books to fill in her lack of real world experience, but she certainly did tend to be drawn to a particular style.

She sighed, not wanting to think about it right now. She started to reach for her neck without thinking.

Nick made the universal _Ack!_ noise that meant 'Stop that!' and Judy let her paw drop.

"How bad is it?" she asked as Nick started to apply the ointment to the small spots, using thumb and forefinger to part the short gray fur again.

Nick sighed and leaned in to inspect. "Well, they're not bleeding anymore. Not bad... tiny... swelling a bit, though."

Judy debated asking if he had all his shots but he would have gotten a load of those when he went into the academy... and it would have been rather insulting. Then she thought of her parents. A slow panic started to rise.

"Oh my gods... Nick, we can NOT let my parents know about this! They will literally explode," she said and made a little 'poof' gesture with her paws. She started to think about how to spin it should the marks be noticed. Panic didn't rise too far, however; she found it hard to care about what her parents might think right now.

"That sounds very... messy," Nick said dryly, and Judy rolled her eyes as he dabbed some ointment on the second small wound.

Judy's concern did not fill him with confidence about the impending meeting. Once again his mind filled with images of being chased through moonlit fields by a horde of angry pitchfork and torch wielding rabbits.

He gulped.

"Do uh," he asked, his ears splayed out, "Do your folks have a lot of pitchforks? Do they, perchance, have a large store of torches? You guys don't burn foxes at the stake or anything like that, right?"

Judy snorted. "No Nick, nobody is going to be burning anybody," she said. She started to reach up and feel the spots only have him swat her paw away again.

"No! Bad rabbit!" he scolded, "Just leave them alone!"

Judy made a little growl and flailed a paw back at him.

"You're not my mother!" she groused.

"Well, thank heavens for that," Nick said in his fake serious tone, "as if things weren't awkward enough already!"

Judy made a noise and flopped back down onto her belly. "Gross, Nick, " she huffed. "If the mood wasn't dead already, that certainly killed it." She rolled onto her side to look at him.

Nick grimaced. "I'm really sorry-" he began and Judy saw his tortured expression.

"It's fine Nick," she interrupted, "It was my fault." She yawned and made a lazy gesture, "Nmmph, just turn the light off and get back to bed."

The rush of adrenaline from the entire escapade was ebbing, and the drink was still interfering with her ability think clearly. Sleep called to her, pulling her mind down. She closed her eyes.

"I've learned the valuable lesson that foxes have sharp teeth. Go team Judy, yay!" she half mumbled and waved a paw around with one finger up, as Nick went to flick the light off.

The spots on her neck had started to throb in time with her heartbeat as the area swelled, but she still found it hard to care. _I hope Mom and Dad don't notice. Have to make something up,_ she thought.

The nightmare scenario played through her mind. _Oh? What's that, mom? Oh, that's just where Nick bit me, that's all! Oh, by the way, turns out I'm into some really kinky stuff, like pred-prey play! What's that, you ask? Well, just let me tell you..._

Nick climbed back into bed, and Judy roused to snuggle closer to him. Nick sighed heavily; he still felt awful. It had been an accident, but it didn't stop him feeling guilty for hurting her.

Judy _mmmed_ quietly. She laid an arm across Nick and rubbed his chest lightly with one paw. "It's ok," she said and yawned again as she nuzzled up against him.

Nick sighed one more time and turned over so he could cuddle closer with Judy.

She made a pleased little noise, then squirmed some as she entwined herself with him.

"Warm," she said in the voice of those barely conscious.

"Soft," Nick replied then added, "I really am sorry."

"I know," Judy said in the same sleepy voice and gave him a little pat with one paw that was resting on his side.

"Forgive you… Love you..."

* * *

Note from the Author:

First off big thanks to my editors Athens Damanes and Gotriss Nholf!

SO - short chapter. Story here. I actually had written a completely different chapter, almost 10k long, mostly edited, and decided it wasn't working. As I like to say "It went off reservation." It wasn't working and got strange, so I chucked it. I debated waiting to put up multiple chapters again but wanted to get this little humours one out while I work on the next. Next chapter will be fairly short as well, the discussion with honey, then off to Meet the Hopps. :)


	11. Chapter 11 - Felony Tax Evasion

Weak morning light started to creep through the window. It was enough to rouse Nick who blearily blinked and yawned, bringing a paw up to wipe the grit from the corners of his eyes. He blinked and turned his head; the clock read 6:54 AM.

He looked the other way to see Judy laying there on her back, covers half way down her white furred chest. One arm lay on the bed off to the side, the other up and over her eyes. Her head was turned a bit towards him, muzzle peeking out from under her arm and mouth slightly open. She was making those adorable tiny snores again.

Nick did not feel too bad. He had been on the borderline between tipsy and flat out drunk, but he was parched.

Nick carefully pulled the covers off himself and sat up, looking over his shoulder to make sure he didn't wake Judy. She mumbled something indecipherable, but then rolled onto her side, still asleep.

He stood and stretched, debated on putting on some clothes, but discarded the idea as he arched his back. He quietly padded from the bedroom, going to his small kitchen and pulling down two glasses, one for himself and one for Judy, suspecting she would be worse off than him when she awoke.

He filled a glass to the brim and gulped it down with a satisfied sigh, then filled it again and downed half of that. For Judy, he filled the other glass halfway with ice, then the rest of the way with water.

An idea struck him, and he grinned. He pulled a business card from a local pizza joint out from under a magnet stuck to his refrigerator. He searched around and found a pen laying on the counter. He folded the card in half, so it made a tall A shape, and jotted a note down with a little doodle to go along with it.

He walked back into his bedroom and set the glass and card on the nightstand where Judy was sure to see them. He paused to pick up his jeans and fished his cell phone from the pocket, then pulled the charger from the wall near the nightstand before quietly padding out and gently shutting the door. He had some thinking to do until Judy woke up, assuming she did. He figured he would give her until nine before waking her, they did have a rather big day ahead of them.

As if yesterday had not been insane enough already today was aiming to be even more of a rollercoaster. There was that whole thing last night to start with. He wasn't sure what to do about that. It had been... well, he wasn't sure what it had been. Intense, strange, and ultimately exciting. It had flipped some deeply buried switch in him that he only half understood.

He made his way to the bathroom, setting his phone and charger down on the edge of the sink. He took care of nature's call before brushing his teeth to get the stale taste out of his mouth, thinking all the while.

He had never been in a relationship like this before, but he did know others who were or had been. Now he saw some of their behavior in a new light. All the looks, the little jokes, the occasional visible bite or injury. He never really looked into such things but suspected he had a visit to a website or two in his near future. There had to be plenty of information and advice for predators who found themselves in love with prey.

Nick rinsed his mouth out and sighed. He picked up his phone and charger and walked back down the hall.

On top of all this, he was going to set things right with Honey, then meet his rabbit girlfriend's rabbit parents who had a dubious, at best, view of said daughter dating a fox. He shook his head and entered the door across from his bedroom, needing time to think.

"Hustling was never this hard," he muttered as he closed the door.

* * *

Judy woke slowly, coming out of a strange dream. She had been home, in her parent's burrow. The memories started to fade immediately as her mind slowly surfaced to wakefulness. She remembered she had been walking the extensive halls of the warren, searching for the source of distant music playing. The halls never ended, though, and the music never seemed to be any closer.

She opened her eyes, blinking as she looked up at the ceiling. She felt awful. Her mouth felt dry, as if someone had stuffed it full of cotton, and her eyes felt like they had sand in them. She worked her tongue and groaned, eyes closing, and brought a paw up to rub at her forehead.

"Ugh," she mumbled. She swallowed and turned her head, looking for Nick. When she didn't find him next to her, she lifted her head briefly to scan the room. Nick was not there, and the bedroom door was also closed. She let her head flop back down onto the soft pillow. _I should just go back to sleep_ , she thought muzzily as she slid her paw down over her neck and throat, having felt a few small pains when she had lifted her head. The fur of her neck felt stiff and mussed, and as she slid her paw around to the back of her neck she found sore and tender areas. "What?" she huffed quietly, "Ow!" she cried as she found more spots, "What the..." Her fingers felt through the fur on the back of her neck, feeling a couple of small bumps, and the memories came back in a rush.

Judy's eyes opened and slowly grew wider. "Oh..." she said, and her ears began to burn furiously, "Oooh boy."

The memories were fuzzy but clear enough. _Oh Judy, what did you do_ , she asked herself as memories of Nick biting her neck, then later holding her by the scruff as he...

"Oh sweet cheese and crackers," she said under her breath, "Jude, what have you started..."

It wasn't that she had not enjoyed it, because she had… _Oh boy did I ever,_ she thought, and that was part of the problem. Part of her was horribly ashamed, and another part of her was thrilled at the same time. She groaned and pushed the thoughts aside.

 _Okay!_ she shouted silently at herself, _enough! enough! Time to get up, I'll think about this later._

She fingered the small scabbed over bumps on the back of her neck. _Really going to have to make sure Mom and Dad don't notice, I do not want to have to explain why I have bite marks._

She puffed her cheeks out in a long breath, turning her head and squinting at the clock on the nightstand. 8:32 AM it read and next to it was a tall glass of ice water, condensation beading and running down its side. There was a small folded square of paper propped up next to the glass that read:

 _You'll probably need this._

Drawn below the message was a cartoonish head of a rabbit with Xs for the eyes and a protruding tongue.

She gave a little snort of laughter and immediately regretted it as she discovered she also had a headache. It wasn't too bad, but with all the minor aches and little pains she almost felt as if she were coming down with something.

She pushed the covers down and slowly sat up, grimacing as her muscles once again protested. It was nothing like yesterday morning, though, she had expected it to be much worse. She scooted around and sat on the edge of the bed, reaching for the glass. Nick had been right about that, she was desperately thirsty and downed almost the entire thing in one long drink.

She sat there for long moments, hunched over and clutching the glass in both paws. She drank the rest of the water down and crunched one of the ice cubes, making a quiet _mmmm_ sound. _Better,_ she thought.

She set the glass back down and slid off the bed to stand, arching her back with a grunt. She turned left and right in slow stretches. She moved her paws up and down her sides and over her well-defined belly, probing gently. Sore, but she would live. She did a few more stretches, lifting first one leg, then the other and sighed.

One of Judy's ears cocked at a noise that she had heard since she woke, but was only now registering. It was the music from her dream, but she could not quite figure out what it was. It was quiet and tinny but also familiar. It stopped, then started up a few seconds later. She padded to the door, pausing to debate putting a shirt on, but decided against it. High on her list of priorities was a hot shower in the very near future, and so what if Nick saw her naked now? That was something that had most certainly become moot in these short couple of days.

She opened the door, and the music grew a bit louder, coming from behind the door across from the bedroom. She padded over and listened, realizing that it must be Nick on a guitar. She raised a paw and opened the door slowly, the sound becoming appreciatively louder, but still tinny and unamplified.

The room was about the same size as Nick's bedroom but lacking a window. It seemed larger than it was due to the lack of any real furniture outside of a small stool. The walls were covered in some kind of dense padding, and along the far wall were several instrument stands. Two held different types of guitars, an acoustic in one and a hollow-body in the other. The third stand was empty, and the fourth held a gleaming saxophone. There was a mess of cords and cables on the floor, some snaking to a few electronic devices with pedals on them and others leading to a relatively small sized amplifier, on top of which lay Nick's phone, charging cable leading to a nearby power strip. Another cable led from the phone to a jack on the face of the amp.

Nick was standing in the middle of the room, still naked, facing away from her. He had a guitar slung around his shoulders and a cable led from that to the amplifier, and another cable came back from the amp to the headphones Nick had on over his ears.

Judy half stepped into the room and leaned against the doorframe, watching and listening with interest.

Nick's head was bobbing in time with the music he was listening to. Now that she could hear the tune better, Judy realized it was Crazy Something Normal, and she smiled. She had thought the Wicked Game might be 'their' song, but now she felt this one suited them better.

Nick was strumming along, putting his own twist on the song and quietly singing. "When they ask what did you invent, tell them how to see the world through a limo tint!"

Judy _mmmed_ and slowly moved up behind Nick and lightly put her paws on his sides. His reaction was immediate.

"Whaaargh!" Nick yelled and jumped, dropping the guitar as his arms flew up.

Judy hopped back, startled, then started to giggle uncontrollably. Nick spun around, guitar swinging on the strap wildly, eyes wide and ears standing straight up. She had expected some reaction but nothing quite so... dramatic. She put a paw over her muzzle and leaned over, tears starting to form in her eyes.

"Ha ha ha, laugh it up, fluff ball," Nick said, glaring at her as he pulled the headphones off.

Judy couldn't help it, doubling over and laughing even harder. "Ow, " she said between fits of giggling, putting a paw to her forehead as it throbbed, but she couldn't stop herself.

Nick put his paws on his hips and watched her, an eyebrow arching, "Very funny," he said dryly.

Judy nodded and slowly stood back up, paw wiping at her eyes, "That was priceless Nick," she said as her giggling ebbed.

"About gave me a heart attack," Nick grumbled.

Judy sniffed and smiled at him, "Sorry," she said, "I didn't think I would scare you like that." She broke down into another little fit of giggling but quickly calmed. "Oh... oh, that was too funny," she said, catching her breath.

Nick harrumphed. He reached up to grab the strap around his shoulder and started to lift it but Judy raised a paw to stop him.

"No, I want to hear you play it, " she said, wiping a few last tears from her eyes. This seemed to mollify Nick and he let the guitar settle back into place.

"Well," Nick said, "Okay, but I don't think you deserve to hear such a wonderous thing after that little stunt."

Judy stuck her tongue out at him. "Humor me," she said.

Nick gave her a little smile and leaned over to pluck the headphone cable from the jack on the amp and let it drop. He took hold of the guitar and positioned his fingers, beginning to pick out the intro to Crazy Something Normal.

Judy's ears lifted as Nick started to play, the amplifier now outputting the sound through its speakers at a low volume. Nick improvised the non-guitar part of the song's intro, then slid into the strumming at the right point. She watched with rapt attention as the fingers of one of Nick's paws picked and strummed while the other slid along the neck.

Nick gave her a sly smile, "I told you it would get your clothes off," he said, and Judy gave an amused little snort as she smiled at him. He began to improvise more, the song was not complicated with only a handful of chords, but there was always a way to spin things differently.

Judy raised her eyebrows. "Okay," she said, "I am officially impressed."

Nick smiled, "I am a fox of many talents," he said and winked at her as he stopped playing and the last notes slowly faded.

"How did you learn it so quickly?" Judy asked as she stepped forward.

"I just listened to it," Nick said and lifted the strap of the guitar up and over his head.

Judy blinked. "Really?" she asked with a bit of wonder, "Nick, that's amazing!"

Nick smiled and unplugged the cord to the amp from the guitar and moved to set the instrument back on its stand. "Thanks, Fluff," he said.

Judy met Nick as he turned back towards her and slid her paws around his sides, "You keep surprising me, mister fox," she said and placed a kiss on the lower half of his fuzzy chest.

Nick smiled down at her. "Gotta keep you guessing, Carrots," he said and wrapped his arms around her, "Can't have you getting bored and leaving me for some young buck."

Judy snorted with derision. "That is NOT going to happen," she said with confidence and turned her head up to him. She raised up onto her tiptoes and kissed him.

Nick _mmmed_ and kissed her back but as they broke it he whispered, "You have serious morning breath."

Judy huffed and the insides of her ears flushed. "Such a charmer," she said.

Nick smiled smooched Judy on the top of her head. "How you feeling, Fluff?" he asked.

Judy sucked in a breath and sighed, one paw coming up to rub the side of her head. "Like someone who drank too much, I expect," she said.

Nick chuckled, "It will do that to you," he said.

Judy rubbed her cheek against him, "Thanks for the water by the way." she said.

Nick rubbed his paws along her upper back. "Thought you might need that," he said.

"I did," she said and leaned into him.

"Um, how's your neck?" he asked tentatively, paws working up and down.

Judy grunted quietly, not something she wanted to discuss right now. She reached up and felt the back of her neck, finding two tender lumps.

"Fine," she sighed, "Sore..."

Nick's ears fell. "Sorry, I-" he started to say but Judy cut him off.

"I know, Nick," she said in a tired voice, "You've said that a million times already. It's okay."

"Do, um, you want to talk about it?" he asked.

Judy pressed her cheek against his chest again.

"No," she said, "I mean... yes, just not right now. I just... I need to think. Can it wait until later?"

Nick gave her a squeeze. "As you wish," he said and he let Judy go as she pulled back.

"I'm going to go take a shower," she said, "I guess we're going to Honey's, then off to the station?"

Nick nodded. "Sounds about right."

* * *

Judy closed the door to the bathroom then padded over to the toilet to attend to the morning business.

She put her head in her paws as she sat there, rubbing her face. "No more greasy food and alcohol," she whispered to herself. Her belly was not particularly happy with her given the kind of food she ate yesterday, and the rest of her body seemed to be in rebellion, if a minor one. Her head hurt, she was tired and sore, not counting the tender spots on her neck.

She sat there for a few more minutes, unable to help thinking about that whole neck biting thing and putting a name to it. She groaned and pushed the thoughts out of her head. Later, she thought. She knew she was avoiding it, but the excuse of being hungover rang true enough to quiet her mind.

Finishing up she hopped off the toilet, poking the button to flush it and turned to the bathtub.

"Ugh," she huffed. The idea of a shower seemed like a lot of work right now, but she shuffled over and grabbed the now dry clothes she had lain on the side of the tub yesterday and set them on top of the toilet lid. She climbed into the tub with a grunt of effort and pulled the transparent curtain closed, then looked up. The shower head was one of those rain style contraptions that hung far out from the wall. She stepped out of the way, turned the water on, adjusted the controls, and waited a bit until the water warmed. She fiddled more to get it where she wanted, then pulled the little plunger that routed the water to the overhead shower.

She stepped into the downpour of hot water and sighed in relief, turning her face up into the spray.

She thought about just sitting in the shower until the hot water ran out but, as tempting as the thought was, she didn't linger; the relaxing hot water lent itself too well to the introspection she was trying not to get drawn into. Instead, she concentrated on soaping herself up using the big pump bottle of shampoo that was nestled into one little alcove then used the conditioner set into another small recess.

After rinsing off, she shook what water she could from herself and, feeling her body was up to the small task, lithely hopped out of the tub after sliding the curtain aside. She grabbed Nick's towel then stepped up to the body blower and turned it on and tried to keep her mind focused on the day ahead during the laborious process of getting dry.

Depending on how long they took at Honey's they might be able to catch the ten o'clock train, putting them in Bunnyburrow around twelve thirty. She would have to coach Nick some on what to expect from her parents. She had a lot of brothers and sisters, many of them quite a bit older than herself, and it would not be the first romantic interest she had seen her parents put the metaphorical screws to. She had the sudden thought that, out of who knows how many boyfriends and girlfriends her siblings had brought home over the years, Nick would be the first non-rabbit and most certainly the first fox.

She gave herself one last slow turn in the blower before she turned it off and hung the towel up to dry. Her suitcase was on the floor next to the tub, and she retrieved her little toiletries case from it. The trash can was where she had left it last night before going out, and she jumped onto it without much trouble. She turned and tried to see the little bite marks on the back of her neck. She could make one out from the side, a small patch of raised fur. Not too noticeable... perhaps if she wore a shirt with a collar she could turn it up to cover it...

She sighed. She hopped down off the trash can, putting her toiletry case away, and picked up the suitcase before leaving the bathroom.

Nick watched Judy walk into the bathroom and debated sneaking in to see if she would let him climb in with her but discarded the idea as a small pang of guilt surfaced in him. Judy still seemed out of sorts about what had happened, and he felt it would not be a wise move on his part. He sighed, rubbing the back of his head with a paw, and walked into the bedroom to busy himself.

He took the time to change the sheets on his bed. As he pulled the old sheets off and tugged on fresh ones he thought about what he was going to say to Honey. He couldn't help it, he was nervous, but there was no question he was going to do it today. The apology was long overdue, and he was looking forward to it, to the reconciliation with someone he did care for deeply. He kept playing the possible exchange over and over again in his mind, but there were only so many ways one could swallow his pride and say that you were sorry.

After changing the sheets, the dirty ones tossed in the basket next to his dresser, he got dressed. He put on the same jeans from last night, they had only been worn for a handful of hours. He would have used the same t-shirt too but found that there was a light smear of Judy's eyeshadow that left a slight impression of her closed eyes, from when she had pressed her head against him on the dance floor last night. He chuckled and tossed the shirt on top of the dirty sheets. He pulled out a dark blue V-neck t-shirt and put that on instead.

He cocked an ear as he heard the body dryer start up in the bathroom and thought of what else to do while he waited.

"Ah!" he said to himself and pulled a travel bag out of the closet and spent a few minutes packing away a few changes of clothes.

He looked around, one paw tap tapping his leg with nervous energy and finally decided to just sit on the bed and wait. A paw automatically felt his pocket, looking for the distraction device that was his phone, then remembered it was still sitting on the amp in the other room. He trotted over and fetched it and its charger, putting the latter in the bag when he returned to the bedroom.

He sat back on the bed and looked down at the phone. He sighed. Mostly charged. No missed messages... no missed calls... not that he got many of either these days, except ones from Judy.

Another thought struck him as he heard the dryer finally cut off and he put in a call for a Zuber cab to pick them up in fifteen minutes. That should give them plenty of time. As he finished placing the order, he heard the bathroom door open.

Judy padded back into the bedroom carrying her suitcase, naked, and spied Nick sitting on the bed. She trotted in front of him and smiled as Nick eyed her small but muscular body. She loved that look he gave her. She stopped in front of the dresser and turned to it, setting her suitcase down. She flicked her puffy tail just to give Nick something else to ogle.

Nick _ahmed_ , that small tail most certainly catching his attention. "I just ordered a Zuber to come get us in fifteen minutes," he said.

"Okay," Judy said as she pulled her clothes from the night before from the dresser, holding up the white t-shirt to make sure it was still presentable and, when finding it was, tugged it over her head.

Nick didn't answer, instead he forced his eyes away from Judy and looked down at the floor, his mind again turning to the impending meeting.

Judy settled the t-shirt then bent over to open her suitcase and get a fresh pair of panties. She turned to Nick as she pulled them on and saw Nick's pensive, distracted gaze.

"You okay?" she asked and grabbed her shorts. She thought of her stupid phone and pulled it out of a pocket. _Only ten percent power. It'll last until the train,_ she thought, remembering that the trains had power outlets for commuters to use.

"Hmmm?" Nick asked, lifting his head up, "Oh, yeah, I'm fine."

"You're a terrible liar, Nicholas Wilde," Judy said dryly as she buttoned her shorts then turned to pick up the overshirt, starting to shrug it on.

Nick gave her an offended look. "Lies and slander!" he said, "I'll sue!"

Judy gave a snort of laughter. She walked over to Nick and put a paw on one knee.

"Seriously, you okay?" she asked and Nick nodded.

"Yup," he said and sighed, "Just never easy to face the music and say you're sorry."

Judy smiled and raised up onto her toes to give the end of Nick's muzzle a little kiss. "It'll be fine," she said.

Nick smiled at the kiss and ducked his head down to chase it with a one of his own that lingered a bit longer, drawing a pleased _nmmm_ from Judy. "It will as long as I have you there," he said as he broke the kiss.

Judy smiled. "I got your back," she said and gave him one more quick little smooch on the nose before turning away, going to fetch her suitcase and set it down next to Nick's travel bag.

Nick watched Judy idly as she started to move some sets of clothes, along with her little travel case, into his travel bag. He raised an eyebrow.

Judy caught the look as she stood back up.

"What?" she asked, "I'm not going to lug the case all the way for just a night."

Nick chuckled and shook his head. "I didn't say anything!" he said and slipped off the bed. "Anything else?" he said, looking around.

"Humm... you got the phone chargers," she said. Her ears perked, "OH! You should bring that acoustic guitar of yours."

Nick raised his eyebrows. "I guess, " he said, "Why? Something to impress the folks with?"

Judy nodded, a calculating look on her face. "Mmmhmm," she hummed. "Dad plays the banjo," she said, "So I think that would be a good bridge. Just be warned you'll get the 'how I met Bonnie' story."

Nick snorted a little laugh. "As you wish," he said and got up, padding over to the other room, Judy following.

Judy narrowed her eyes as she followed, leaning against the door frame while Nick went to pull a soft case out of a closet. "You know that's the second time you've said that... I know what movie that one's from."

Nick grinned as he slid the guitar into the case and zipped it up. "What, can't I be your Westley?" he asked then gave a toothy grin, "Or should I be the Dread Pirate Wolfberts?"

Judy's ears heated and she _ahemed_ then pushed off the doorframe, turning around to walk back into the bedroom without answering.

Nick chuckled as he followed. "Anything else we need?" he asked.

Judy looked around and thought. "Don't think so... we're only going to be gone a night, at most," she said then picked up the choker from the nightstand and reached around to put it on, "I think that's it."

"Okay," Nick said and moved over to shut and lock the window. "We still have some time before the cab shows up," he said, "Want to wait outside?"

Judy shrugged as she adjusted the choker. "Why not," she said.

Nick slung the soft case over a shoulder, picked up the travel bag, then snagged his aviators off the dresser and flicked them open to perch them on his muzzle.

As they made their way through the living room Judy made a noise and scooped up her iPawd and earbuds, the device still sitting in the dock on top of the stereo system. She wrapped the cord of the earbuds around the iPawd and pocketed them as she followed Nick out the door.

"Why don't you just use your phone like a civilized rabbit?" Nick asked as he locked the door.

"Because," Judy said slowly as if explaining to a child, "running with the phone is a pain in the butt."

"You just have tiny paws," Nick said.

"Oh shut up," Judy said and rolled her eyes.

"You know you love me," Nick said with a grin.

"Yes," Judy said with a smile, "Powers that be know why, but I do love you, you irritating fox."

Nick made a pleased _mmm_ sound. "Nicholas P. Wilde, irritating fox extraordinaire, at your service, Madam!"

Judy snorted as they exited the building.

No cab was yet in evidence so they decided to sit and wait on the steps. It looked to be a beautiful day out, the early morning sky clear and a deep cerulean blue.

They sat in silence for a minute. Nick's expression changed, and his gaze went distant as he started to play through scenarios in his mind again.

Judy noticed Nick's expression and scooted up to press herself against his side, drawing his attention down to her.

"Um," she said tentatively, "what exactly... happened with Honey?"

Nick turned his head forward again and took a breath.

"Well," he said and brought a paw up to rub under his muzzle, "short version is that I was a jerk."

Judy watched Nick. "You know, you have a tell," she said.

Nick blinked and looked back down at her. "What?" he asked.

Judy inclined her head. "A tell. Like they taught you in the academy. Whenever you're nervous or pensive, you rub your muzzle or the back of your head."

Nick looked thoughtful. "Huh," he said, "I never noticed that."

"Anyway," Judy said, "I didn't mean to sidetrack you. I believe you said you were being you?"

Nick blinked then rolled his eyes. "Ha ha," he said, "You're a real card, Carrots."

Judy smiled up at him but didn't say anything, wanting Nick to continue.

Nick gathered his thoughts.

"So," he began, "Long-ish story shorter... after Mom died, I kind of sank into a depression. Started hitting the bottle pretty hard." He shifted uncomfortably. There were actually few memories from the months right after his mother's death, most of them lost to the booze. "Honey kind of helped pull me out of that. Even got me a job as a cook at Jimmy's for a while."

Judy raised her eyebrows. "You... you had a real job?" she said in a skeptical tone.

"Don't sound so shocked," Nick snorted, looking down at her, "and it was only for a few weeks as I got myself together."

Judy nodded but reached out and took his larger paw in hers, Nick giving her a little squeeze in return.

"Pretty soon I was back to my usual ways," he continued, "I never really dealt with Mom's death. I just felt too guilty, so I ignored it. Just put that mask on and went on my way. Honey tried to help as best she could, but I was stubborn." Nick took a deep breath, paw squeezing Judy's again and she squeezed back. "This is where the jerk part comes in..." he said, "about six years ago Jimmy retired, and Honey bought the diner from him. I found out after that Honey had done it not only with her own money but money Mom had bequeathed her in her will. Seems that they had both been saving up money over the years and planned to own the diner jointly. I didn't even know Mom had a will."

Nick squinted his eyes and looked up, "I want to say Honey tried to tell me after the funeral, but I was pretty drunk... I think. I didn't even help clear out and pack up the apartment. By the time I dried out it was all said and done, and I never cared enough to ask."

Judy didn't quite understand but thought she might. "And you thought that money should have gone to you?" she asked.

Nick shook his head and reached up to wipe at his eyes under the mirrored lenses, "No, it wasn't really that. The money itself didn't matter. Honey asked me to partner up with her, she wanted to give me half ownership, but I threw it back in her face." Nick shook his head, "It was stupid. I thought it was a waste. Made me mad that Mom had seemed to only be getting by for too long. I knew why then."

Nick looked down at Judy again. "Remember that argument I said I had with Mom a few weeks before she died?" he asked.

Judy nodded, remembering quite well the story Nick told her. She also noticed he seemed much more at ease talking about these things now.

"Well," Nick said, "That was about money. I was suspicious then. I knew she made decent money waiting with the kind of tips you get at Jimmy's but at some point she became much more, what's the word?" He snapped his fingers a couple of times, "Austere."

Nick's eyes went distant as he tried to recall, "I guessed that was the time she started saving money for the plan to buy the diner." Nick shook his head, "Anyway, point is that it ticked me off. Mom deliberately lived like a pauper to buy that stupid diner."

Nick looked down at Judy and raised his eyebrows. "You think I'm insufferable now," he said seriously, "You should have met the twenty-year-old me. Hoo boy."

"I didn't say you were insufferable, I said you were incorrigible," Judy said, keeping her head forward.

Nick looked puzzled. "Wait, what?" he blinked and had to actually recall the memory himself, "Okay, fine, the twenty-year-old me was insufferable then."

Judy nodded. "Duly noted," she said, trying to sound serious and not smile, enjoying these little banters with Nick more and more.

Nick looked at Judy curiously, "Do you remember everything?" he said and Judy furrowed her brow, not a question she had been expecting.

"Um," she said,"Pretty much, yeah, why?"

Nick peered at her even harder, this was something he had been suspicious about for a while now, "Do… do you have a photographic memory?"

Judy blinked, that was another question out of left field. "Uh, no, Nick. I do not have a photographic memory," she said in a slightly exasperated tone, "I'm not going to tell you where I was on this date when I was 5 or anything. I just have a good memory."

Nick _hmmed_ as if he didn't quite believe her, then sucked in a breath.

"Anyway!" he said, "The argument was over me trying to give her something out of my savings so she could stop living like she was destitute. Boy, the ear chewing she gave me." Nick chuckled sadly, "She thought it was mob money. She never believed me when I told her I was doing my own thing because of some of those unsavory types I mentioned before."

Nick waved his free paw in the air and shook his head. "I'm getting off track," he said.

"It's okay," Judy said with a smile, "I like hearing your life story." It was true, too. She had found out more about Nick in the past three days than the entire last nine months.

Nick snorted. "You make it sound so exciting..." he said.

Judy smiled a little. "It is, kind of," she said, scanning up and down the street herself. "Nothing ever happens in Bunnyburrow, Nick." She gave a little huff of laughter, "The most exciting thing that happens there is the Carrot Days Festival. Listening to you makes me realize what a boring life I've led."

Nick made _feh_ noise. "I'll trade you, and I haven't had an exciting life," he said, "I would say I've had an interesting life…"

Judy squeezed Nick's paw. "You were saying? About the money?" she asked, wanting to hear the rest of the story.

"Uh," Nick said and got back on track. "It just made me mad that all that time Mom was living like that it was because she was putting away everything she could… for something I saw as a waste. I didn't want her to toil away running some grubby little diner. My dreams were bigger."

"Wow," Judy said in a teasing tone, "You really were insufferable!"

"Thanks for the support, Carrots," Nick said and leaned against her, giving her a little shove.

"You know you love me," Judy said and Nick aimed an arched eyebrow and sidelong look down at her.

"Hmm, do I?" he said, as if in thought for a moment then smiled, "Yes, yes I do."

They both laughed at the little joke. Both recalled that strange tense moment in the squad car the other day, seeing it in a new light.

"So," Nick said, "suffice to say I said some things I shouldn't have and walked away. Didn't take long to realize I was wrong, but between being stubborn, and, well, everything else, I could never drum up the courage to go apologize. I always figured I would one day... it was just never 'that day'. I was just a coward."

"Well," Judy said softly, "Seems you found that courage after all?"

Nick looked down at her and smiled, "I had a little help there," he said.

Judy smiled back and leaned her head against his arm, feeling warm. "Glad I could," she said, and Nick tilted his head and rested it atop hers.

"You know," he said, musing, "I had a thought yesterday that you were a lifeline thrown to me when I didn't even know I was drowning."

Judy lifted her head, Nick raising his as well, and they looked at each other.

"What?" Judy asked, not sure she understood.

Nick shrugged. "Up until I met you I was just kind of… on autopilot, about the best way to put it," he said and looked down at Judy with an arched eyebrow.

Judy arched a more skeptical eyebrow back at him. "What do you mean?" she asked.

"I was just doing what you found me doing," Nick said, "same thing I've been doing for twenty years. Exciting, it was not." Nick looked sidelong at Judy with that sly smile, "Then along comes this rabbit meter maid…"

Judy smiled and rubbed the paw she was holding with her free one.

"That's a bit of a two-way road," she said, "I never really thought in longer terms than being in the force." She cocked her head, "What plans did you have?" she asked curiously.

Nick chuckled. "You'll laugh," he said.

"Probably," Judy said and patted his paw, "But tell me anyway."

"Well," Nick said, "You remember when you came to find me at the bridge?"

Judy nodded, remembering the wheedling she had to employ to get Finnick to reveal Nick's likely locations.

"I planned to buy that land and all those abandoned buildings. I wanted to open up an amusement park," Nick said and raised a paw in a revealing gesture, "Nick Wilde's Wild Times!" He watched Judy sidelong for her reaction.

Judy's brow furrowed as she took in the idea. "You know," she said finally, "I can totally see you doing that."

Nick raised his eyebrows, "Really?" he asked, and Judy nodded her head slowly.

"I don't know why but I can see you running an amusement park," she said. "It fits, somehow. But that's pretty ambitious. Dare I ask how you planned to get the money for it?"

Nick grinned, "That old industrial park has been abandoned for years," he said, "Owners are asking way too much for it on purpose. They're hoping other development will eventually revitalize the area. I figured I could get it if I offered them a reasonable price in cash then use what was left over to finance and drum up venture capital."

Judy raised her eyebrows. "How much is a 'reasonable price'?" she asked.

Nick shrugged. "About one point five million."

Judy's jaw dropped. "And how close were you do doing this?"

Nick paused, this was becoming somewhat dangerous territory. He had always kept his finances closely guarded and had never told anyone about how much he had been saving up over the years. It was Judy though, and again he found himself unwilling, or unable, to keep things from her. _In for a pinch,_ he thought.

He looked up, thinking for second then said, "Probably ten years give or take. Assuming the land remains unsold, but it's been that way for twenty years already."

Judy quickly did the math in her head and looked up at Nick, dumbfounded, "Nick... that… that's a lot of money!"

Nick gave her a sidelong wink, "Relatively speaking."

"But you said you couldn't afford all that stuff in your apartment anymore?" Judy said.

"Well," Nick said with a chuckle, "It's true! I can't afford much on a police salary. I didn't say anything about anything else. Carrots, you don't save money by spending it. The trick is to get yourself something nice now and then so you don't feel deprived, and keep your paws off the rest."

Judy looked at him with a blank expression for several long moments then said, "Nick, I'm pretty sure that saying goes 'You have to spend money to make money.'"

Nick snorted. "Yeah, sure, as long as it's the kind you don't keep any paperwork on."

Judy raised an eyebrow at him, "And buying all that and everything else isn't going to raise any questions as to where you got all the money?"

Nick pursed his lips and looked sheepish, "Well, that, uhh, whole thing with that rug kind of caused issues with that part of the plan."

"Rug?" Judy said then her mouth formed an O and held up a paw, "Okay, nope, stop, don't want to know." Judy shook her head at Nick, thinking about that whole skunk butt rug foolishness and now wondering what else Nick had been up to with the dangerous little shrew.

Nick sighed and winced at the look Judy gave him, "I know, I know... " he said, squirming a bit. His sly little plan with the rug had not been his best idea.

Judy then gave Nick an appraising look. "You really have been making two hundred dollars a day since you were twelve..." she said, a statement and not a question.

"That was on a slow day," Nick said, looking pleased with himself.

Judy did some more math in her head and looked back up at him.

"You already have more than enough to buy the land, don't you?" she said with a little bit of awe.

Nick nodded slowly. "I do."

Judy was stunned. "Nick, why? Why did you bother with becoming a police officer at all? You... you could just do what you planned... with that much money you could just retire now!"

Nick didn't answer for a moment, looking down the road at an approaching car. He turned his head back to Judy and smiled at her, looking into her eyes.

"I thought I told you already. I found something better to dream about," he said.

Judy's mouth opened, but words got caught in her throat. Her eyes teared up, and she had to look away.

"Cab's here," Nick said.


	12. Chapter 12 - Honey

Judy got into the cab in a daze. Nick slid in next to her, settling the guitar case and bag on the floorboard.

Nick leaned forward. "You know where we're going?" he asked the cabbie, a sheep who looked freshly shorn.

"Eeyup," the cabbie said and tapped the dash-mounted tablet. "Honey's over on 5th."

Nick nodded and sat back. "Okay," he said, and the cab started moving. He looked to Judy, who still looked stunned.

They traveled for a minute in silence, Nick lost in his thoughts about the impending meeting and Judy lost in hers about what Nick had said.

Judy was having a hard time believing what Nick had just told her. Not only about the money but how he had given up on his plans and dreams for her. She was somewhere between shock and bewilderment. _Nick gave up on his dreams because of me? Gave up on plans he's been pursuing for years, for me? Why?_ she asked herself, _what makes me worth such a sacrifice?_

After a time, Nick spoke up.

"You okay, Carrots?" Nick asked quietly.

"No," Judy said, her eyes still tearing and looked up at him. "You gave up... gave up all that for me? Why? I never asked you-"

"Do I need a reason?" Nick asked, cutting her off. He took a breath and looked down. "Look, I don't have an answer, anyway, I just..." he made a frustrated noise and leaned back, "I just did. I... I was adrift, things were, um, not exactly going well, you could say." Nick's eyes drifted as he tried to put to words to things that were more feeling than anything else. "Then you came along," he eventually said, "and when you asked me to apply for the force that day it was like a fog lifting." He sighed and shook his head slowly. "I don't know," he said, then looked down into her eyes, "Judy, I would follow you anywhere. I made that decision to join the force-"

It was Judy's turn to cut Nick off. She reached up and grabbed him by his cheek ruffs and pulled him down to a brief, fierce kiss, "You crazy," she said and kissed him more, "crazy fox," she said and let out a strained little laugh. "This has to be one of the most romantic things I've ever heard," she said and kissed him again, longer this time. She broke the kiss, Nick the one with the dazed expression now, and snuggled up against him. Other thoughts started to surface then. Thoughts attached to things like _Revenue Service, Tax Evasion, Accomplice,_ and _Conspiracy_. "However, Nicholas Wilde," she said with a sniff, rubbing at her eyes with one small paw, "We are going to have a discussion about conflict of interests soon."

Nick's ears splayed. "Oh boy," he said, sounding resigned, "Well at least you didn't use my middle name."

Judy looked up at him. "What?"

Nick took a breath. "When a female calls you by your full first and last name you know you're in trouble," he said, "When she uses your middle initial you're in even bigger trouble. If she uses your full middle name too, you are in imminent danger of grievous bodily harm."

Judy gave a little snort and sighed, rubbing her head against his shoulder. "Nick, our lives have become very complicated in a very short amount of time."

Nick sat back up straight, tensing up some as he saw the destination approaching. "I can't say you're wrong there, Carrots," he said as the cab pulled to a stop a few car lengths from Honey's front entrance.

"Here you go," the cabbie said.

"Can you wait for us?" Nick asked, "We won't be very long, and after here we're heading to the train station."

The cabbie turned his head back, shrugged and said, "Sure, parkin's free on Sunday so as long as you don't mind the clock running."

"Fine by me," Nick said. He had used his city debit card when ordering the cab and had no qualms about using it.

"You got it," the cabbie said, leaning his head back and closing his eyes. "I'll be waitin'."

They exited the cab, and Nick looked at the contemplation on Judy's face. He was becoming even more nervous, wondering if he had made a massive mistake. When they didn't start moving, Judy looked up at him.

Judy blinked, looking at Nick's concerned expression, and gave him a smile. "Relax Nick, " she said, "It'll be fine. You're probably not going to like it, but it'll be fine." They did certainly have some things to talk about, it was just another problem to figure out, but the money bothered her. It was a rather large problem from a legal standpoint, at the very least.

Nick was hardly relaxed, wondering what it was he wasn't going to like. "Oh goodie, " he said dryly, "I can hardly wait."

She reached out and grabbed Nick's paw, tugging at him, "Don't be a child, come on."

Nick let Judy lead him, and she let his paw go as they reached the door. This time, she opened the door for him and followed.

They stood by the door. The diner was considerably busier than it had been the previous morning; Sunday morning was a favorite day with families and couples. They spotted Honey as she turned from a family of badgers seated in one of the booths.

Honey saw them standing there and stopped in her tracks, her eyes going wide.

Nick gave the older vixen a small smile and raised a paw.

Honey's eyes darted down to Judy, then back up at Nick before walking over to them.

"Nick," she said as she drew close, voice sounding uncertain, "I... didn't expect to see you again so soon, sweetie."

Nick took a breath. "I know," he said and looked down for a moment before looking up at Honey. "Honey, do you... do you have a place we can talk? Privately?"

Honey looked down at Judy again then to the bag and guitar case Nick was carrying.

"Um," she said, looking unsure, "Yes... just, give me a second." She turned and spied a portly little female pig in a similar outfit to hers, bussing a table, and called out, "Jenny!" The pig turned and looked over.

"Boss?" Jenny said.

"You an' Clyde hold things down for a few up front," Honey said, "I have some um... things ta' take care of."

Jenny raised her eyebrows, giving Nick and Judy a look before shrugging. "You got it boss," she said and resumed picking up dirty plates and silverware from the table.

Honey turned back to Nick and Judy, giving them a look then inclined her head at a brown wooden door along the back wall. A black nameplate with the word 'OFFICE' in white letters stuck to it.

"Come on back y'all," she said and led them to the door, entering with Nick and Judy following.

The office was small with just a metal desk, a couple of filing cabinets, and a corkboard along the far wall pinned with various papers and notes.

Nick slung the guitar case off his shoulder and set it down, placing the travel bag next to it.

Judy quietly closed the door and stepped up beside Nick.

Nick looked down at Judy, giving her a nervous little smile.

Judy rested a paw reassuringly on Nick's side.

Honey stood, facing them, and looking even more uncertain about what this was all about as Nick raised his head.

Nick swallowed and blinked. "I... uh... I went to see Mom," he said.

Honey's eyes went wide, and she brought a paw up to her muzzle.

Nick had a hard time meeting Honey's gaze, but he forced himself to. "And... I came to say I'm sorry." He broke the brief eye contact and looked down. "I... there was no excuse for what I did, and I said a lot of things I shouldn't have and-" Nick didn't get a chance to say anything more as Honey rushed forward and embraced him in a tight hug, rocking him back and making Judy step aside.

"Oh Nicky," Honey said, her voice cracking, "You hush now. You don't got anythin' to apologize for-" Nick's arms came up, and he hugged Honey back fiercely.

"Yes, I do!" he croaked out. "I was awful to mom and you!"

"Shush," Honey said as she hugged Nick tighter, "You had a bad deal, both you and your momma had a bad deal, you hush now."

Nick broke down then, unable to hold it back anymore. "I miss her," he wept.

"I know you do sweetheart," Honey said, her voice quiet and soothing, "I know you do... I do too."

Judy's own eyes teared up, and she wondered if she should have stayed outside after all. She hated seeing Nick hurt like this, but this is what they would call cathartic. _There you go being analytical again, Jude_ , she thought, but kept her silence and let the scene play out without interrupting.

Honey did look down at Judy, tears in her eyes, and mouthed the words 'thank you!'

Judy smiled sadly and gave a silent nod. She was not entirely sure what there was to thank her for. None of the insanity of the past three days had been even remotely planned.

Nick pulled himself together. Honey let him go, holding him at arm's length.

"Oh, Nicky," Honey said, eyes wet, "I gave up hope that you'd ever come 'round."

Nick gave a small smile and wiped at his eyes with a paw. "Well, here I am," he said, "and I'll be around more now."

Honey pulled Nick into another tight hug. "You always been like a son t'me," she said.

"You deserve a better son than me," Nick said with a tight little laugh as he hugged the old vixen back.

"Oh, you shush," Honey said with a little laugh of her own and broke the hug, stepping back, "You look like you're goin' somewhere. Where you off to?"

Nick looked down to Judy, who smiled at him. "We're going to meet Judy's parents," he said.

Honey put a paw to her muzzle again. "Oh my," she said, "This sounds serious."

Judy sighed and gave a wan smile. "You don't know the half of it," she said, and Nick chuckled.

"Serious is one way to put it," he said.

"Gettin' outta town due to bein' in the paper an' all this mornin'?" Honey asked.

Dread welled up in Judy. "You mean yesterday's paper?" she asked, daring to hope she had not just heard what thought she just had.

Honey blinked and looked at Judy, then up at Nick. "Oh no, I mean today's! You two are on the front page! Didn't ya know?"

Judy slowly closed her eyes and let out a quiet groan.

"Uh," said Nick, looking down at Judy, "We... did not."

Honey turned to the desk and picked up the thick Sunday paper that was laying haphazardly at one corner of the desk. She flipped the folded paper over, and one of the stories on the bottom half of the front page was a color picture of Nick and Judy exiting MacNelly's last night with Fangmeyer leading. The title of the column read, "Night on the town for Zootopia's cutest couple!"

Judy made a little growl in the back of her throat at the use of 'cutest,' but she found it impossible to be anything other than resigned.

Nick reached for the paper and turned his eyes to Honey, "May I?" he asked, and Honey handed him the paper.

"Do I even want to know?" Judy asked tiredly.

"Well," Nick said, "Looks like Stretch's work given that angle..." Nick scanned through the story, muttering under his breath. "Zootopia's newest power couple seen leaving... the first rabbit and fox… Officer Hopps seemed less than steady... story continues on 2a."

Judy opened her eyes and stared at the far wall, ears half down. "Great," she said, "Now I'm the city drunk."

Nick looked up at Honey. "You mind if we take this?" he asked, and Honey made a shooing gesture.

"Take it, sweetie," she said with a smile, "It ain't like it's a bad story! I think you two are as adorable a couple as they come!"

Judy let out a long, suffering sigh. "Thank you, Honey. That does seem to be the consensus... from _everyone_." _Well_ , she thought, _maybe not my parents._

Nick rolled up the paper and stuffed it under an arm.

Honey looked back and forth between them. "Do you two want to get some breakfast before y'all leave?" the vixen asked.

Nick raised his eyebrows at Judy who shook her head and patted her stomach.

"Belly is not happy with me this morning so I'll pass," she said, "I'm going to wait until we get to Bunnyburrow. Mom is probably planning some big dinner."

Nick's ears splayed, and he started to get the nervous feeling in his stomach at the thought.

Judy caught the look and smiled. "Relax, Nick," she said and gave him a pat on the arm, "You'll live."

"Torches," Nick said, eyes distant, "Pitchforks..."

Judy rolled her eyes. "Don't worry, I'll defend you."

Honey watched the play between Nick and Judy with an amused smile. "I'm sure everythin' will be fine, Nicky," she said, "You may be a bit of a rogue, but you're a charmin' one at least."

"We'll see," Nick said with a laugh. He looked at the clock on the wall. "Well, we should get going if we want to make the train at ten," he said, and Judy followed his gaze to the clock on the wall.

Nick then suddenly stepped forward and hugged Honey one more time. "I am really sorry," he said quietly.

Honey pulled her head back to give Nick a smooch on one fuzzy cheek. "I know sweetie, all is forgiven," the old vixen said, "You need to come visit me when y'all get back. We gotta lotta catchin' up t'do, you an' me."

Nick smiled. "Deal," he said, and gave Honey a squeeze before letting her go. He looked down to Judy as he picked up the guitar and travel bag, "You ready to inflict your parents on me, Carrots?"

Judy arched an eyebrow. "I'm not sure who is going to be inflicted on who," she said, "but yes. If we can catch the ten o'clock train, I'd rather do that."

"Well, alright then," Honey said. They all turned and exited the small office.

"I'll stop by when we get back," Nick said.

"Good, I got a nice bottle of single malt we can share," Honey said with a wink, "An you're invited too, Miss Hopps!"

Nick chuckled, and they started to make for the door when Honey spoke up.

"Um," she said. Nick and Judy turned back. The vixen was looking down at Judy. "Miss Hopps, can I speak t'you for a moment?"

Judy looked up at Nick who shrugged.

"I'll... wait outside. I'll see you soon Honey," Nick said with a smile and went to wait outside.

Honey watched Nick walk out, then turned her attention to Judy. The old vixen went down to one knee and, to Judy's surprise, pulled her into a fierce hug.

"Little bunny," Honey said, "I don't know what you did for that boy, but thank you."

Judy stood awkwardly for a moment, arms out, then returned the hug. She laughed quietly. "I just fell in love with him," she said, fondness in her voice as Honey leaned back.

"Well," Honey said, looking over Judy's shoulder at Nick standing outside, peering down at his phone in one paw, "Perhaps tha's all he needed." She returned her attention to Judy, "Thank you all the same, Miss Hopps."

"Call me Judy, please," Judy said as Honey let her go.

Honey smiled as she stood back up, "Alright then, Judy," she said, "You'll always be welcome here."

"Thanks," Judy said as Honey stood up.

"One oth-" Honey started to say but paused, muzzle half open as she seemed to reconsider, "Ah, just, you make sure that boy comes to see me soon. We really do have some catchin' up t'do."

The pause perked Judy's curiosity. Honey had apparently changed what she had started to say but Judy just nodded and smiled, turning to head out. "Don't worry, I will," she said as she pushed the door open.

They started walking towards the parked cab. "What was that about?" he asked. He had a pretty good idea, but was curious as to what Judy would say.

Judy, still smiling, said, "Just thanking me for whatever it is I did to you."

Nick raised his eyebrows as they walked back to the cab. "And just what have you done to me, rabbit?" Nick asked, amused as he opened the cab door for Judy and put his phone back into his pocket, "That's a question I often ask myself."

"Fell in love with you," Judy said simply.

Nick mmmed and slid on to the seat next to Judy, settling the guitar and the travel bag on the floorboard. "Which makes it good to be me!" Nick said with a wink and leaned up to talk to the cabbie, "To the Savanna Central main station."

"You got it," the sheep said and, after a check over his shoulder, pulled the cab into the street.

Judy sat back and gave a pleased little sigh. There were certainly a lot of things going on, a lot of change, but that little interaction with Honey left her feeling warm and happy.

Nick sat back and tried to relax. _Well, I did it,_ he thought. Another massive weight had been lifted from him. He blinked his eyes and reached up to wipe at them.

"You okay?" Judy asked, putting a paw on his arm.

Nick smiled and looked at her.

"I'm just fine, Fluff," he said, and meant it, then leaned over.

Judy leaned up to meet Nick, whose intent was clear, and they briefly kissed.

"Good," she said as the kiss broke.

Nick sat back, and Judy snuggled up against him.

"Hey," Judy said and plucked the rolled up newspaper out from under Nick's arm, "Let me see that..."

* * *

 **Authors Note:**

Short chapter. I know lots of folks are waiting for Meet the Hopps, and it's almost here...almost. One more short chapter (That little 'discussion') before that, and the Hopps Chapter is either going to be huge or cut up into multiple ones. May be some delay, not sure yet. Switching jobs that is taking me away from the 3 day work week for a month or two before I move back to the 3 day, so wont have as much time to write as I currently do for a while. Plus.. HTC Vive shows up tomorrow...don't know what's going to happen there, lol.

Cat Came Back: I don't know what the devil was up with Chapter 8. I had to go back again and correct things there I fixed before (The missing chunks of text) I think it may have been having multiple FF editor windows up, but should be fixed now...

Retconned: Turns out that Fangmeyer is NOT the Tiger, that's the Wolf. DelGato is the Tiger according to Rich/Byron via Twitter so I changed that.

Lewd: So - there is a poll no my Profile page. I get a number of requests to get a bit more into the.. ahh.. more explicit aspects of Nick and Judy's relationship and I have toyed with the idea. Not horribly drippy graphicness but perhaps more than I have done. Would not be able to post here so my idea would be to post like I do here and put the more lewd bits on AO3 or WattPad. So head over to my profile and let me know what you think. Still very much up in the air about it myself.

More big thanks to my editors - Don'tMindMe42, Gotriss Nholf, and Athens, would be a lot harder without these guys!


	13. Chapter 13 - Conflicts and Interests

Judy tossed the newspaper into a recycling bin as they entered Savannah Central Train Station. Much to her relief the news article was hardly about her and Nick at all. After the initial gush over of how adorable the pair of them were, the article degraded into what amounted to little more than MII propaganda.

They had arrived with just enough time to get their tickets and make it to the outbound Rabbit Transit platform. Luckily, the station was quiet since it was Sunday morning. Even so, both Nick and Judy noticed more than one animal staring or pointing in their direction.

"I see our notoriety is spreading," Nick said as they hurried down the platform and hopped aboard a car just moments before the doors started to close.

"Yay," Judy said flatly, not particularly pleased with the scrutiny. They were both used to some level of celebrity, but it irritated her to no end that it was because they were dating. She guessed it was, anyway. Ever since that first photo in the paper she had started to assume that each lingering gaze at the pair of them was due to those pictures that sneak of a giraffe had been taking of them. She had to wonder just how said giraffe was managing to sneak at all given how tall they were. She certainly had not spotted him when they came out of MacNelly's last night. Not that she had been in a state to be very observant.

She grabbed Nick's paw. "Come on, I want to go up to the observation deck," she said and started to lead him to the stairs.

The car had few passengers aside from themselves. There was only a single, small family of rabbits. A doe dressed in shorts and a t-shirt sat to one side of the car with her three small kits.

"Um, excuse me?" the adult said, as Nick and Judy were walking by, "Are you Judy Hopps?"

Judy and Nick stopped, taking in the small group with more interest. Judy looked to the adult rabbit who had spoken. She was a bit shorter than Judy, heavier set, with squarish features. The family resemblance between her and the kits was unmistakeable and the entire group had similar tan fur that darkened around muzzle and paws.

"Uh, yes," Judy said, a bit wary, "That would be me."

"I told you that was her!" one little girl said to the small boy sitting next to her. The girl, not more than four or five and wearing a yellow and white sundress, hopped off the seat to bound over to Judy, "You're my hero! I wanna be a police officer when I grow up!"

"Me too!" said the smaller rabbit boy, dressed in overalls and a t-shirt, sliding off his seat and padding over. The third kit, another small girl dressed similarly to the others, with a thumb in her muzzle, also hopped over.

Nick's ears perked up, amused as the gaggle of children gazed up at Judy with awe.

"Now children!" the mother spoke and stood as well, grabbing a pole as the train began to accelerate slowly out of the station, "Don't be rude, and sit back down! The train is moving!" The kids groaned in unison and reluctantly shuffled back to their seats but didn't exactly sit, still staring at Judy.

"I'm Beth Cotton," the rabbit said with a smile, "Sorry if we're intruding. We're all big fans of yours, especially the kids."

"Nice to meet you, Beth," Judy said and let Nicks paw go and held it out, letting out a quiet laugh as they shook, "I think everybody knows who I am already. And don't worry, I'm used to this kind of thing."

Beth beamed. "You have no idea what an honor this is," she said, "Ever since you graduated from the academy and after that night howler scandal you're all the kids talk about!"

Judy's relaxed. This was something she was familiar with. She had had more than one parent with a youngster approach her in recent months, and she'd even been to a few schools to deliver speeches to classes of young kids.

"Just doing my job," Judy said. She glanced over to Nick, who was still looking amused, "and I had quite a bit of help with the missing mammals."

Beth looked at Nick. "You must be Nick Wilde?"

Nick nodded, grabbing a pole for stability, and gave a half bow. "Guilty as charged, Madam," he said with his usual smug smile.

Beth gave Nick a bit of a once-over and leaned forward to whisper in one of Judy's ears. "I saw you two in the paper the other day, he is pretty good looking. Well... for a Fox!" she said and gave embarrassed little laugh as she leaned back, shooting a shy glance at Nick, who had put on his most charming smile.

Judy's smile widened, but she stamped down an irrational surge of jealousy and bit back a retort about the 'for a fox' comment. She gave Nick an appraising look of her own. "He is. It almost makes up for how aggravating he can be."

Nick managed to look offended and put a paw to his chest, "You wound me, Carrots, you wound me."

Judy gave him a wink and turned her attention to the small children still looking at her with rapt attention. "So, who do we have here?" she asked.

Beth looked at the three small kits, smiling, and pointed from one to the next,"Alice, Alex, and Amanda."

Judy noted the names and said, "Your first litter?"

Beth nodded. "My husband and I did selective in vitro, we didn't want to have too many. The city isn't really the place for a big rabbit family," she said, "We're just heading out to my parent's farm in Podunk for the week. I like to get them out of the city and see what it's like back home."

Judy nodded and smiled at the kids. She squatted down to be more on their level, keeping a paw on the pole for support as the train took a curve. "So," she said, "you all want to be police officers when you grow up?"

The three children nodded in unison and the girl who had spoken first piped up again.

"Uh huh!" Alice said and padded back towards Judy. "Did you really beat up a polar bear an' arrest that lion?"

Judy laughed and shook her head. "Well, I did arrest a lion, but I did not beat up any polar bears!" she said, "That wouldn't be very nice, would it?"

The girl shook her head as the little rabbit boy stepped up.

"Wasn't a polar bear, dummy!" he said, "It wazza rhinoceros!"

Alice gave the boy a glare and looked like she was about to swat him when Judy laughed again, drawing attention back to her.

"Well now, I did kind of beat up a rhinoceros in the academy. We were practicing!" Judy said, wondering how the kits even knew about her nearly knocking George out, assuming that was what they were referring to.

The girl's eyes went wide. "Can I really be a police officer rabbit when I'm grown up?" she asked.

"Me too! I wanna beat up a rhinoceros!" the little boy said, not wanting to be left out.

"Well," Judy said to the little boy, "It's not about beating animals up! It's about serving and protecting the public! Do you guys want to make the world a better place for everyone?"

The kits nodded, but their sister Amanda turned abruptly. She walked up to Nick, still with a thumb in her muzzle, and looked up at him curiously.

Nick looked back down at the small rabbit girl with an uncertain expression but wiggled the fingers of his free paw at her, making the kit giggle around her thumb.

"If that's the case, " Judy said to the two kits in front of her but spared a curious glance at Amanda, "If you study and train really hard you sure can be. We need more rabbit officers on the force! Do you know why?"

The kits shook their heads.

"Because," Judy said and tapped the side of her head, "We're smart." She bounced a bit on her haunches, "And we're fast! Are you guys smart and fast?"

Both kits smiled and nodded. "Yuh huh!" they both said in unison.

Alex spoke up, trying to edge in front of his sister. "I'm fastest!"

"No, you're not!" said Alice and gave her brother a little shove.

"Am too!" Alex retorted.

"Okay, okay you two!" Beth said before Judy could say anything, "Don't bother officer Hopps with your fighting, I'm sure she has things to do."

The two stopped their bickering and gave each other a glare instead.

Amanda was staring intently up at Nick again, who was starting to look uncomfortable under the quiet kits gaze.

Judy stood back up with a big smile and shook her head. "Oh, it's no trouble at all."

"You're a household name around our place," Beth said, "I swear half the kids in the neighborhood want to join the ZPD now."

Judy gave a little laugh. "I know what you mean. A lot of my brothers and sisters are the same," she said and smiled down at two kits. "Okay, you guys. If you really want to be police officers you can't be fighting all the time. You have to behave, do good in school, and get lots of exercise. No being couch carrots! No playing video games all the time and being lazy, okay?"

Alice and Alex nodded solemnly.

Judy nodded. "Good!" she said.

Beth had started to rummage in her shoulder bag and pulled out a cell phone. "Would it be okay if we got a picture of you with the kids?"

"Sure!" Judy said, another thing she had become used to over the months.

Beth poked at the phone for a moment then looked to the kits. "Okay, you guys! Stand in front Officer Hopps for a picture!" She waved at Nick, "You too Officer Wilde!" she said, and Nick released his grip on the pole as he moved up as well.

Alex and Alice eagerly shuffled over in front of Judy. Even Amanda pulled her gaze from Nick, much to his relief, and moved up next to her brother and sister.

"Amanda, take your thumb out of your muzzle," Beth said, and the girl complied, if reluctantly.

Judy put a paw on the shoulder of Alice and Amada, Alex standing between them. Nick took position behind and slightly to the side of Judy.

"Smile!" said Beth and they all did as she lined up the shot, all of them trying not to wobble too much as the train car gently rocked.

Beth took a few quick photos as the train's motion smoothed out and looked at her phone for a moment, "Okay, great!" she said. "Thanks so much!"

"Not a problem," Judy said with a smile as Alex and Alice padded forward.

"I wanna see!" Alex said hopping up and down. Beth turned the phone around to show the kids the photo.

Amanda popped her thumb back into her muzzle and returned her gaze to Nick.

"Okay now, let's stop bothering the officers. Everybody back into their seats!" Beth said, "Thanks again, it was a pleasure meeting you both!"

The two kits groaned but moved back to where they had been sitting.

"Anytime," Judy replied and turned to look back at Nick.

Amanda was still staring up at him, but she pulled her thumb from her muzzle and said in her small voice, "You're pretty," before turning to move back to her own seat.

Nick raised his eyebrows at Judy, and she shrugged, giving a little laugh. "Don't look at me," she said.

Beth clucked her tongue and shook her head as she moved to sit, "Don't mind her. She's going through a phase. She's all about wolves and foxes lately."

Nick chuckled. "Well, I can't fault her for her good taste," he said.

Judy rolled her eyes and cocked her head. "Come on, you," she said and turned to start walking towards the stairs again. "Nice meeting you Beth! And you too!" she said and gave the three small children a wave, the trio waving small paws back.

"Bye!" Alex and Alice said at the same time while Amanda just waved her paw, the thumb of the other back in her muzzle.

Beth offered a wave of her own. She turned to the kids as Nick and Judy walked to the stairs. "Wait until the kids back home see that photo, huh?" she said.

Alex and Alice's eyes went wide, and a conversation started as to which of their friends was going to be more jealous.

"You've become quite the celebrity, Carrots," Nick said with an amused tone as they reached the staircase.

Judy gave a little chuckle. "You don't know the half of it," she said, "Don't worry, it's your turn next. You're going to be stopped by every fox cub in the city wanting an autograph or a picture." she said while climbing the stairs. "I'm also starting to question the wisdom of surrounding you with all my sisters."

"Hey, can't help it if I'm handsome and irresistible to lady rabbits," Nick said looking and feeling smug as he climbed behind Judy, eyeing her tail which just happened to be at eye level.

Judy snorted as she reached the top. "YOU better resist mister, or I'll be the one getting pitchforks and torches out."

"Don't worry," Nick said as he stepped up on to the observation deck, "I only have eyes for you, Carrots."

"Mmhmm," Judy hummed as her mind shifted gears. She started to think about the conversation about the money that was promised earlier. She moved up to the curving glass window and put her paws on the railing.

Nick sighed heavily, feeling Judy's mood shift. He set the guitar case and travel bag down, then moved up next to her, putting his paws on the railing as well and looked out the window with her.

Judy's stared out the window for a full minute, the train starting to cross over the water to the farmland beyond. Finally, she asked, "How much money, Nick?"

Nick was silent for a moment before speaking. "Two million, three hundred and forty thousand... and change."

Judy closed her eyes, "Oookay... and where is it?"

Nick gave another heavy sigh. "In safety deposit boxes... mostly."

Judy slowly raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean 'mostly'?"

Nick rocked his head back and forth. "Well," he said, drawing the word out, "Before I went to the academy I pulled some out in case of an emergency."

Judy turned her head to look at him with a dubious expression.

Nick saw the look and slowly shrugged. "I know a lot of animals, Carrots. I know a lot of shady animals. Some of them are nervous that I'm wearing blue now."

Judy's expression hardened. "You've been threatened for joining the force?"

Nick winced. This was something he had not wanted to burden Judy with. "Kinda... sorta... I mean not really but it was, uh, kind of _implied_ I better not start snitching." he said but quickly added, "But it's okay! I'm almost a year out of the loop now, which makes it less of a problem and I, uh..." Nick sighed and brought a paw up to rub the back of his head, "I made assurances and, um, your... shall we say, relationship? With Mister Big bought me quite a bit of slack. Nobody wants to get on his bad side."

Judy's eye went wide, and she stood up to face Nick. "You used my connection with Mister Big, " she said, voice raised, then paused, craning her head and looking down the stairs before turning back and hissing at a lower volume, "to cover your rear?"

Nick stood fully too, wobbling a bit as the train rocked through a gentle curve. His ears splayed out and held his paws up. "No no no! I didn't say anything! It's just... known."

Judy calmed and looked downward, eyes darting as she thought. "Wait a minute," she said and looked up, "What else have you been up to besides hustling pawpsicles?"

Nick gave Judy a worried looking grin. "Just, um, things?"

"Nick!" Judy said with a tone of warning in her voice.

Nick's shoulders slumped, a cornered look to his expression now. "I... uh, you know... I know everyone!" he said. He rubbed the back of his head again and looked anywhere but at Judy, "This guy might have something to sell, " Nick said, waving his other paw in one direction and then in the other, "This guy might want to buy. You know... things like that."

Judy put her paws on her hips and stared up at Nick. "Like selling a skunk butt rug to a crime boss?" she said.

 _Oh no_ , Nick thought, _paws on the hips._ Nick raised a finger. "I didn't know it was at the time!"

Judy ignored the comment and asked, "Nick, are you telling me you were a fixer for the mob?"

Nick looked even more cornered now, his entire posture slumping. He held a thumb and forefinger out a little ways apart. "Just a little... sometimes? Occasionally?"

Judy raised her eyebrows even higher. A foot started to slowly tap.

Nick cringed. First, it was the paws on the hips, then came the raised eyebrows, and finally came the tapping of a foot. Not good.

 _I'm eight years older than her and grew up on the streets… so why do I feel like I'm five and have been caught with my paw in the cookie jar?_ he asked himself, but the answer came readily enough, _Because I can't stand the thought of her being disappointed in me._

"Carrots, you don't do those kinds of things without dealing with them sometimes, it's just how it is," he said, raising his paws, palms up, and let them fall.

Judy clenched her jaw, thinking, but finally took in a deep breath and sighed, holding a paw up. "Okay, okay. We're getting off track here. As long as you're not in danger," she said.

Nick shrugged. "If I was, I think I would have known about it long before now," he said then made a grunt of frustration. "Look, did I do illegal things? Yes, yes I did," he said and started ticking off items, touching the fore finger of his right paw to each finger of his left, "but I never dealt in drugs, I never dealt with weapons, I never did anything violent, I never knowingly did anything that hurt anyone, and I wasn't greedy." He gave a rueful laugh, "If I had done those things I would have made a lot more money, but I don't think I could have lived with myself."

Judy looked at him for a long moment, saw the worried expression on Nick's face. She knew, or at least highly suspected, that he had done plenty of illegal things in his past, and it had always bothered her to some extent what those things could have been, but what he had just said put her more at ease about it. She took a deep breath and nodded.

"Okay," she said and went back to where the conversation had gotten side tracked, "forget about all that for now. The money. How much did you take out?"

Nick's ears fell again. "A hundred thousand," he mumbled, but Judy's superior hearing caught it.

Judy closed her eyes. A hundred thousand was _a lot_ of cash to have around. "Sweet cheese and crackers," she muttered. She opened her eyes and asked, "Where is it?"

Nick looked away again and shrugged, he really did feel like a little kid who had gotten caught doing something. He hated to make the comparison, but it reminded him all too much of the grillings his Mother used to give him when he had started getting into trouble as a young teen.

"I have ten thousand in a safe in the apartment," he said and took a deep breath, "The rest I buried by the bridge."

Judy made a little groan and shook her head, raising a paw to rub between her eyes. Outside of handling money at her parents stand she had never had a thousand dollars in her paw let alone a hundred thousand. "Okay, fine," she said, "the rest of it is in safety deposit boxes?"

Nick leaned back down, putting his paws on the railing again, and nodded as he looked out at the passing farmland. "I've got it spread out at four different banks," he said.

Judy mimicked Nick and leaned back down, but not before casting another glance back toward the stairway to make sure Beth or any of the kits were not getting curious, but she could hear them talking animatedly from their seats. She thought about the money, and what Nick had planned to do it with. Now that she had time to think more about it, it sounded pretty crazy.

"Now, let me get this straight," she said, a slight tone of disbelief in her voice, "You saved up all this money over the past twenty years… to open an amusement park?"

Nick nodded but remained silent as he continued to gaze out the window.

"Well," Judy said with a sigh, "It's ambitious, I'll give you that. Why an amusement park?"

Nick smiled after a second, mind diving back into his grand plan he had held onto for so long. He could see it all in his head. The rides, the games, the concession, the hoots and hollering of children and adults.

"When I was a kid Mom used to take me to this little amusement park on the west side of Savannah Central," he said and looked down, thinking, "Can't remember the name… Sable Mountain? Sable Peak. No... Sable Park! I think? Well, something like that. It's gone now, been closed for the better part of twenty years." Nick's smile widened, and he looked up again, recalling what he considered 'the good times,' when it had just been him and Mom, and everything had been _right_. "It wasn't much of an amusement park, really," he said after a moment, "One of those places with the kid-sized roller coasters, arcade, water slides… stuff like that, but when you're five years old it seems like the best place on earth."

Judy listened quietly. She had turned her head to look at Nick, watching his expression and hearing how he talked about the memories almost reverently. _He's such an odd fox,_ she thought. Well, Nick was pretty odd in general, but that was part of his charm.

"As I got older I saw the place for what it was," Nick continued, "A small place for small kids. I wanted bigger. I wanted big rides, big games, big everything. I became kinda obsessed if you couldn't tell." He shrugged then, the smile suddenly vanishing.

Judy caught the sudden feeling of sadness from Nick and reached out to put a paw on his arm, "I'm sorry things didn't work out."

Nick blinked and gave his head a little shake. He pulled himself out of his reverie and turned, giving Judy one of those wondering looks that make her feel warm inside. "I'm not so sure it didn't work out after all," he said.

Judy gave a little laugh and scooted over to press herself up against him. "You are a silver tongued devil Mister Wilde, you know that?"

Nick grinned and ducked his head down to kiss Judy on the cheek and said, "But I'm your silver-tongued devil."

Judy hummed in pleasure but then remembered something. "Wait a minute," she said, "Isn't there a place down by the harbor called Wild Times?"

Nick stiffened and grit this teeth. "Don't get me started on that," he almost growled, his paws tightening on the railing in uncharacteristic anger, "Those thieving cheetah sons of…" Nick caught himself, jaw snapping shut with a _click_. He rarely swore as a rule, but he found himself even more careful because Judy frowned upon it. The one time he had slipped up the look she had given him made him feel like a cretin.

Judy slowly raised her eyebrows at Nick's outburst and looked up at him, "Well, that hit a nerve. They stole your idea?"

Nick shook his head, the muscles of his cheeks standing out as he ground his teeth. "I don't know. I don't know the two cheetah's who own it," Nick said then snorted with derision, "They call it an amusement park, but it's hardly better than the place I went to as a kid. "The 'Roar-o-coaster,'" he said, lifting his paws from the railing briefly to make quote marks in the air, "what a joke." Nick grumbled then said after a pause and a sigh, "Anyways that's why I changed the name to 'Nick Wilde's Wild Times.' Not that it matters anymore."

Judy _mmmed_ , thinking for a bit. "I'm going to make another assumption you planned to launder the money somehow," she said after some thought, "and I have a feeling Mister Big was involved in that plan?"

Nick grimaced but nodded. "Got it in one, Fluff," he said, "That's when things really started to go off the rails."

"So you didn't know you sold him a... skunk butt rug?" Judy asked, looking back out the window at the quickly passing landscape.

Nick shook his head and gave a rueful chuckle, "No. The fact I didn't know is why I'm not a foxcicle right now."

Judy clenched her jaw. She really did not like having such a cordial relationship with someone who she knew, if could not prove, casually had animals murdered in cold blood, and whose organization was almost certainly carrying out illegal activities at this very moment. She forced herself to relax. She couldn't do anything about it, at least not right now. Mister Big had helped them with the missing mammals, true, but she would not hesitate to take him down if she found the opportunity, and feel guilty about it at the same time... at least she tried to tell herself that, but a part of her wasn't so sure she would. She sighed and gave a little grunt of frustration. Life was so much more complicated. Well, she could not do anything about it now, so she pushed her thoughts back to the conversation.

"If it wasn't your fault then why was he so mad at you?" Judy asked, looking back to Nick.

Nick puffed his cheeks out and blew out a breath, "Because, when I did find out I didn't tell him. I just tried to keep it quiet."

Judy made a little O with her mouth, she could imagine how the shrew would react. "I may have to revoke your sly card."

Nick snorted. "Tell me about it," he said.

Judy hummed as a smile spread across her muzzle. "You got hustled!" she said.

Nick's ears fell, and he rolled his eyes. He started to open his muzzle to speak but closed it, there really was nothing he could say. He HAD gotten hustled, and good, and it bothered him to this day. "Yes!" he said finally, "Yes, okay, I got hustled! It… has happened a few times."

Judy gave Nick a little grin and a bump with her hips. "Good to know," she said, "You could use some humbling."

Nick narrowed his eyes and looked down at Judy. "You like seeing me taken down a peg, don't you?" he said.

Judy nodded and grinned. "Yes I do, absolutely, one hundred percent."

Nick snorted, remembering those same words coming out of his muzzle in front of the Tundra Town Limo Service almost a year ago. "Touché Carrots, touché."

Judy's smiled faded as she began to think about the money once more and had a thought. It wasn't one she felt very comfortable with but it was an option, unsavory or not. _I was just thinking about how I would take him down if I could_ , she thought, _now I'm thinking about how he could help with this…_

"I… I could see if Mister Big would help with the-" she stated to say, but Nick suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders and turned her to face him.

"No," he said firmly.

She blinked in surprise, looking up at him. "Nick, I-"

Nick's ears were back, his eyes wide in alarm and fear. "Don't even think about it," he said, paws tight on her upper arms, "I'm not kidding. You don't want to get involved with those guys any more than you are. You start asking for favors and then THEY start asking you for favors. Refusing tends to lead to things like not breathing."

Judy was taken aback by the force of Nick's warning. "Okay, Nick," she said, voice low and calm in the tone one used with unstable suspects, "I won't, it was just an idea."

"Promise me," Nick implored, paws giving her arms a squeeze, "Promise me you won't go to them, not for this, not for anything!" The idea of her getting tangled up with a dangerous little shrew... If Judy got blackmailed, hurt, or worse, he didn't think he would be able to bear it. A part of his mind tried to tell him that he had not actually been the one who had introduced them, but it still felt like his fault all the same.

Judy looked at Nick intently, locking eyes with him. Internally she again argued with herself about the ethics of her relationship with Mister Big, about how a year ago she would have recoiled in horror at the thought of working with or asking for help from the diminutive crime lord. Now, though… now the world was not nearly as simple as she once believed, and if she had good enough reason…

"I can't do that, Nick," she said finally.

"What?! Judy you-" Nick started to say, but Judy lifted a paw up and silenced him with a finger against his muzzle.

"Shhh," she said softly and let her paw drop, "I will promise you I won't go to him about this. But if going to him will save someone's life or something else as important, I will. Or I'll at least have to consider it."

Nick let go of Judy's arms and smoothed his paws down the sides of his muzzle with a groan. "You don't know what you're talking about!" he said

Judy cocked an eyebrow. "I know how this-"

Nick cut her off again, saying, "NO, you don't!" He waved his paws in front of Judy and shook his head, "Okay, let me run a little scenario," he said, placing fingers on his forehead as he thought, "let's say you do go to him. You go to him and get what you need." Nick then shook his backside, his fluffy tail snaking back and forth. "Boy oh boy, Judy Hopps saves the day!" he said in a mocking, sarcastic tone,"Zootopia's best and brightest bunny cop does it again! Hooray!"

Nick then leaned down, putting his paws on his knees to be more at eye level with Judy. He brought his muzzle closer, his eyes intent, voice low and serious. "Then later you get a call. He needs a little favor, just a small one. Perhaps a bit of info on someone, perhaps if you know of any investigations going on somewhere.. Okay, not too bad, right? What's the harm, right? After all, he helped you out!" Nick brought his muzzle even closer, and Judy leaned back slightly, her violet eyes growing wider under the intense gaze, her nose starting to wriggle.

"Then a week later, a month, or a year, you get another call," Nick continued, his eyebrows raising briefly, "Now maybe it's a certain bit of evidence that needs to disappear from an evidence locker, or a case file needs to go missing, or some mammal needs to be strong armed by the cops so they fall into line. Next thing you know, you're dragging a body to a lake."

Judy rolled her eyes. "Nick I would never-"

Again, Nick didn't give her a chance. "What? You would never do something like that?" he said. He stood back up and snorted, "Oh yeah, that's what everybody says."

"Nick," Judy broke in, her irritation building, "If you think I'm just going to roll over and-"

"Shush," Nick said and held a finger to Judy's lips like she had to him just a minute ago, "Let me finish." He sighed and smoothed his paws back over his head and ears. "Judy, I'm not questioning your ethics, I'm not saying you wouldn't put up a fight, but you're underestimating Mister Big. Do you know what happens if you refuse?" Nick gave an exaggerated shrug. "Perhaps your apartment has a mysterious fire, maybe there's an accident at your parent's farm," he said, his tone casual, "Or maybe they let you know about a little packet of interesting evidence that just might make its way to the Chief's desk... Keep refusing, and you might not show up to work one day."

Judy gulped and tore her gaze away from Nick, looking down. She had not really thought about all the possible implications. Then again, she wasn't just some two-bit crook either.

"But Fru Fru," she started to say, but Nick held up a paw. Judy stopped, and ground her teeth, she was getting tired of being interrupted.

"Okay, I admit you saving and being friends, I guess, with Fru, and being the godmother of little Judy changes things," he said, "but, I was treated like family too, and you see how easily that changed. Trust me Carrots, I've seen what happens to those who cross Mister Big." He snorted, "Well, I never saw what happened, I just never saw them again."

Judy took a breath and held up her paws. "Okay, okay Nick," she said, "I hear you."

Nick let out a sigh of relief, at least until Judy spoke again.

"But..." she said slowly, trying to think of what to say, "Look, Nick. I know how dangerous he is, but I can't just let someone get hurt because I'm worried about the possible consequences. If he's my only recourse…" What Nick had said had sunk home, however. She would avoid asking for any kind of help except in the direst of circumstances, assuming Mister Big or his... organization could help.

Nick looked down at her for a long moment, Judy obviously was not going to budge on this. He shrugged. "Okay," he said, obviously not happy, but realized that was the best he was going to get. "Okay," he said again. He turned back to looking out the curved window, resting his paws back on the railing and gripped it tight.

Judy sighed. This was not something she had intended to bring up at all. What Nick had said left her unnerved and uncertain. A slow anger started to build. How could the ZPD, and the City, just let such an animal run loose? Evidence or not, there had to be some way to go after these crime king pins. They never really did though, not that she could see. There was the occasional arrest or bust of some low-level operation. However, she now suspected those were token efforts, at best.

Nick eyed Judy sidelong, watching the expressions and emotions play out on her face.

"I know what you're thinking, Carrots," he said quietly, "You think there's got to be some way to put a stop to likes of him."

Judy blinked, not realizing she was being so transparent.

"You know what happens if Mister Big, or one of the other big players, were to suddenly be taken off the board?" he asked.

Judy sighed, she had a pretty good idea. "Someone else just like him or worse would replace him," she said, sounding dejected.

Nick nodded. "Bingo," he said, "and possibly with some or a lot bloodshed to boot." Nick brought a paw up and rubbed under his muzzle. "Look, Judy, I know how you feel about this, I know it grates on you, but animals like Mister Big have been around forever. The best we can do is keep the peace with them. And they do keep things under control. There's a reason they're called 'organized crime.'"

Judy grunted noncommittally and was reminded of what Bogo had told her in that meeting with Bellwether, ' _The world has always been broken...'_. She blew out a long breath through her nose and looked up to Nick.

"Alright," she said, resigned, "keep my distance and better the devil we know, huh?"

Nick gave a genuine grin. "You got it, " he said his tone lighter, "Perhaps there's hope for you yet, Fluff. Under my careful tutelage, I just might be able to turn you into a street smart, jaded, and world-weary flatfoot."

Judy turned back to the window and rolled her eyes. "You make it sound so glamorous," she said sarcastically.

Nick chuckled. "If you were looking for glamour you're definitely in the wrong line of work."

Judy smiled and _hmmmed_. She let her mind wander for a while, just watching the bucolic landscape as the train cut through miles and miles of the rolling farmlands. She eventually pulled her thoughts back to the original point of all this, having to backtrack to where the conversation had gotten sidetracked. So far it had been all over the place, but still they had not actually discussed the money or what to do about it.

"So, getting back to where we were… we have to do something about the money," she said.

"WE don't have to do anything," Nick said, staring out the window, "This is my burden to deal with not yours." Nick had to wonder at the fact that having a bunch of money was now a _problem_.

"No, Nick," Judy said, "This is most definitely a 'we' thing now. The fact I know all this now and that I have no intention of reporting it makes me an accomplice." Judy closed her eyes and rubbed the wide bridge between her eyes again. "In fact," she continued, "I'm pretty sure, aside from the aiding and abetting a felony, that working to keep this under wraps may be conspiracy to defraud the government too." Judy suddenly groaned. "Nick, for the love of everything good WHY did you file returns with no income? That is pretty much the definition of tax evasion!"

Nick sighed. "Would you believe I just didn't know?" he said, feeling foolish. He knew better now, but taxes were never something he wanted to pay or concern himself with, so he didn't. In fact, he had never actually done his taxes beyond writing zero on the form and mailing it in. He had always been very confident that nobody could pin anything on him to begin with, and had been very careful about covering his tracks as far as money was concerned. Then along comes a rabbit with a recording carrot pen…

"Nick," Judy said, somewhat exasperated, "How can you be your age and not know these things?"

Nick looked, and felt, somewhat abashed. While he really had been ignorant about taxes, the very idea of them irritated him. Taxes were all supposed to go to the public good; Roads, schools, and infrastructure, but the way foxes were generally treated had thoroughly trampled his sense of civic duty. He did feel different about it now, however. His new life and job had started to kindle a sense of investiture in things where none had been before. He shrugged.

"I never really looked into it," he said, "I just knew you were supposed to do it to keep the government off your back, so that's what I did."

Judy grunted. "Okay, definitely going to have to revoke your sly card," she said, "You're just asking to be audited… I think." Judy furrowed her brow in thought, "We need to talk to a tax lawyer."

Nick snorted. "Again, WE don't need to do anything," he said, "I do."

Judy started to protest, but Nick didn't let her speak.

"No, Carrots, No," he said firmly. "You're acting as if this is some kind of disaster nipping at our heels, it's not. I've been fine so far, and there's no reason that's going to change any time soon. IF this should become a problem at some point, all you have to do is deny knowledge of it."

Judy shook her head. "Nick, I feel dirty enough as it is," she said, "and I wouldn't be able to stand by and let you take the fall alone."

"It's not your problem!" Nick protested, throwing his paws up.

Judy turned to face him, keeping one paw on the railing as the train took another curve around low hills. "I'm making it my problem, Nick," she said, voice turning hard, "And that's final. If we're going to be… involved then it is my problem too, now. Unless, um, things… don't work out." Judy's ears fell. She hated to think about the possibility of her and Nick _not_ working out, but she was cognizant that it was there, as remote as it seemed to her now. She again rubbed between her eyes, the headache from earlier was starting to return. She groaned. "I almost wish you hadn't told me," she said. She was glad that he did, but it would have been so much easier to just be ignorant about it.

Nick gave a snort. "Oh that would have worked out great," he said sarcastically, "Can you imagine ten, fifteen years down the road?" He made little walking motions with the fingers of one paw. "Perhaps a Little Nick and Judy junior running around our house in the 'burbs and then I told you? Or even worse, you found out on your own?"

Judy was blindsided by the comment about kids, and everything it implied left her inner ears burning and her mind stunned. Kids? A house? Married? It took her a few moments for her mind to come around and she saw the sidelong look of amusement Nick was giving her. She squinted one eye and wagged a finger at him.

"You did that on purpose!" she accused, and Nick's grin widened.

"Can I have my sly card back now, please?" He said with a smug self-satisfaction.

Judy tried to muster up some indignation or just a little irritation at Nick but found she couldn't. Her mind was still spinning with the ideas he had put in her head and she just leaned against the rail. She looked at Nick, feeling that tightness in her chest. To her surprise, she found she wanted those things. It wasn't just about her career anymore. She wanted that house in the suburbs, she wanted those kids, even if they had to adopt. She realized for the first time she was seriously contemplating her life beyond the ZPD. _A family of my own, a family with Nick.,_ she thought, _Ask me to marry you, Nick, ask me and I'll say yes._

Nick surreptitiously watched the emotions play over Judy's face and realized his little distracting ruse had worked a bit too well. S _he's actually thinking about it_ , he mused. While the comment had been meant as a distraction, it had not been false either. He found himself desiring these things. _We've only been together for a few days,_ he chided himself, _you know it's too soon!_ That was not entirely true, though. He had known her for a lot longer, if not spent a lot of time together. He knew Judy. She was _good_. The kind of good that was typically associated with things like heroes. She was the kind of person that others looked up to. Well, down to her in this case, but that was beside the point. Once more he found himself wanting to pop the question, but it was too soon. _Besides_ , he told himself, _I don't even have a ring._

Judy started to get a handle on herself and buried the thoughts and emotions. Nick's little trick had worked quite well in derailing her, and she had to think back to what the actually had been talking about. She sighed, slowly shaking her head, a small smirk on her muzzle.

"No wonder my hustle worked so good on you," she said.

Nick arched an eyebrow and looked sidelong at her.

Judy's smile widened into a grin, and she let out a quiet little giggle.

"What's so funny?" Nick asked, turning his head to eye her suspiciously.

"The look on your face when I said 'felony tax evasion' was priceless," she said, "I really didn't think it would work, but I know why it did, now." It really had been such a long shot too. Nick had no police record, outside of those sealed juvenile records, so the dodgy 1040 forms were the only thing she found that might have been able to work on him.

Nick grunted, remembering that little interaction with crystal clarity. "Well, you happened to find my one weakness," he said.

Judy snorted. "You know I couldn't have arrested you, right?"

Nick blinked and looked down at Judy. He realized she was right. Now that he had been through the months of training and study he knew that the ZPD had no jurisdiction or power to arrest someone over tax matters, it was a strictly federal issue that required a federal warrant and agents.

"Hey!" he said, ears shooting up, "You're right!" Nick narrowed his eyes and looked Judy up and down appraisingly, "Sly bunny…"

"Dumb fox!" Judy quipped back but then became serious again. She was no tax law expert, but she did know that deliberately putting false information on a federal tax form was a whole lot worse than just not filing at all.

"But nobody else knows about this money?" she asked.

Nick nodded then paused. "Well, I think Honey suspects something at least, and Finnick probably does too, but you're the only one I've ever actually told."

Judy's chest got tight again as Nick demonstrated his trust in her. She tried to think of other potential issues. The false tax returns were a problem, but if nobody could prove Nick actually had the money then there wasn't anything to pin on him... then she thought of something.

"Your permits," she said but before she could continue Nick raised a paw.

"Those were not, uh, exactly on the up and up," he said, "They can't really be traced to me... they were just for, uh..."

Judy raised an eyebrow, "Dumb bunnies?"

Nick gave a small smile, and a sidelong glance. "Something like that."

Judy took a slow, deep breath and let it out. "Okay then," she said and gave an exaggerated shrug, "We still need to talk to a tax lawyer, but if there's no evidence, then there's no crime." _I am really doing this. I'm willfully, with full knowledge, aiding in a crime,_ she thought. She didn't like it, not at all, but what were the alternatives? Nick going to jail? Nick being humiliated and fired? Those options were simply not acceptable to her.

Nick's ears slowly perked up. "Uh, okay?" he said, sounding as if he suspected a trap, or 'gotchya,' "Um, that... that's it?"

"What are the options, Nick?" Judy asked, a slightly sour tone in her voice, "Turn yourself in? Prison? Fines? I'm not about to let that happen."

Nick's ears fell. He stood up and turned around. He stuffed his paws into the pockets of his jeans and paced back to the stairs and back, thinking, Judy turning to watch him.

"I feel like I'm... I don't know, " he said and looked down, "Making you sacrifice your integrity or something."

"I am, Nick," she said, and Nick's ears fell all the way, "but it's my sacrifice to make and I'm willing to make it." Judy stepped up to Nick and reached forward, pulling his paws out of his pockets and held them. "Yes, this is all technically illegal... but you're good, Nick. You had your reasons for what you did. It's not like you're a murderer or selling drugs to kids, and you've changed your life for the better. I don't think you should be locked up for it, regardless of the legality of it all." She looked down for a moment, then back up, "If there is some way to come clean on this without getting the book thrown at you then you… we should do it. If not, then… well, to heck with it."

Nick squeezed Judy's paws. "You sound a lot like you're making justifications," he said.

Judy rolled her eyes. "Don't you think I know that?" she said, "It doesn't change anything. I'd rather sacrifice a bit more of myself than see you locked away."

Nick smiled down at her and squeezed her paws in his. He didn't say anything, he didn't need to.

Judy released Nick's paws and moved in, wrapping her arms around him in a hug, Nick putting his arms around her in return. She rested her cheek against him, "But the money seems like an awfully big temptation to have to hang over your... our heads."

Nick chuckled quietly, and they stood there together. "Carrots, I've been living with that temptation for a long time and never given into it."

"I know, but..." Judy said, not sure what to say. There were a few moments of silence before Nick quietly spoke.

"I'll give you the keys," he said.

Judy pulled back some, ears perking as she looked up at him. "What?" she asked.

Nick shrugged. "I'll put the money I took out back and give you the keys to the safety deposit boxes," he said. "I won't tell you what banks so you won't be tempted either, not that I think you would be," he continued with that last added as a quick aside, "that way you'll have control of it. Problem solved." Nick smiled down at her, "Besides, I was starting to think we could use it as our retirement nest egg. It's not that much money, really, in the city, but a nice little cottage on a lake somewhere out in the country? Plenty."

Judy's emotions surged up. Nick was talking about their future as if it was already set. Her ears went down, and she thumped her forehead against his chest. "Nick..." she whined, "You keep saying these things..."

Nick gave a small shrug and rubbed his paws up and down her back. "I know," he said, knowing exactly what she was thinking, "It's too soon, but I keep thinking about it more and more."

Judy let out a little groan and rubbed her head against Nick. The word 'marriage' flitted through her mind with rather disturbing regularity now, but it felt right. As strange as the notion was, she almost felt as if they were married already. Yes, they were in the heady beginning of their relationship but at the same time, it often felt like they had known each other for a lifetime already. "I do too," she finally said, voice quiet.

Nick _hummed_ softly, paws still stroking Judy's back. _I think..._ he though hesitantly, _I think I need to get that ring when we get back_.

Judy _mmmphed_ and sucked in a breath as she pulled back, and Nick let her go. "Okay! Enough," she said, blinking her not quite tearing eyes, pushing the thoughts down and away, "This conversation is done. Keep the keys. I trust you, but for now, I think this is settled."

Nick inwardly relaxed. He knew that telling Judy about the money had been a risk, but it had worked out about as well it possibly could have. "Okay," he said, "You're the boss."

Judy snorted and gave Nick a look, her ears rising back up. She rubbed her face with one paw and gave a little yawn. She was starting to get tired, even this early in the day. She was still recovering from the after effects of the drink last night, and felt muzzy and a little out of sorts. The returning headache was not helping matters either.

"Mmmph, well," she said in a half yawn, "let's go get a seat downstairs."

Nick nodded and moved to pick up the guitar and travel bag as Judy began to make her way down the stairs. Nick followed, Beth and her kits looking at them as they came down, all four of them offering a wave. Nick and Judy both smiled and waved back as they sat at the first set of seats near the staircase.

Nick settled the guitar and bag down and pushed them under the row of seats with a foot before sitting, Judy snuggling up against him.

Judy pulled her phone out of her pocket, expecting it to be nearly dead, and it was. She sighed.

Nick had pulled his own phone out and looked down when Judy sighed. Without being asked, he leaned down and pulled the travel bag back out from under the seat and fished both chargers out. He unwrapped the cords and plugged the small blocks into the nearby outlets spaced along the wall.

"You know," Nick said as he handed one cord to Judy and plugged the other into his own phone, settling back against the backrest. "Supposedly there's these new phones and batteries coming out that charge wirelessly."

Judy plugged her phone in and raised an eyebrow as she shifted, subtly trying to turn the screen away from Nick's view. "Oh?" she said, only half listening as she brought up a web browser.

"Mmmhmm," Nick hummed as he brought up his own phone, poking at the browser icon. "Supposed to use the ambient radio waves to charge the battery or some such witchcraft."

"Mmmm, " Judy said, only paying half attention as she tapped away at the screen. She started to enter 'Predator prey relationships' but as soon as she started typing the phone started offering up suggestions. When she started to enter 'prey' the list narrowed:

 _Pred Prey Play_

 _Predator Prey Relationship_

 _Predator Prey Model_

 _Predator prey Simulation_

 _Predator prey Graph_

Judy puffed her cheeks out. _Right at the top of the list,_ she thought, _figures._ She tapped 'Pred Prey Play' and the first result that came up was a link to Anipedia, so she tapped that next. A lengthy article appeared and she started reading.

 _Predator-Prey play is a variety of erotic practices or roleplaying between Predator and Prey species. These practices often involve historically predatory behavior like chasing, biting, clawing, and may also involve bondage, dominance, submission, sadomasochism, and other interpersonal dynamics. Predator-Prey play does often overlap with BDSM (See BDSM - Bondage, Dominance, Sadomasochism) to varying degrees but primarily involve the simulation or role-playing of the predator attacking the prey using teeth and claws._

Judy slowly raised a paw and started to nibble on a thumbnail as she started scrolling through the article. It basically boiled down to that, now being sentient and evolved, historically predator and prey species could fall in love. However, they all still had instincts that were buried just under the surface and when in relationships those instincts tended to surface in pred-prey play. There were those who were just in it for the thrill of the act, but there was just as many, if not more, who were simply normal couples. It went on to talk about studies where devoted couples were interviewed, and the prey members almost universally had the same answer to as to why they engaged in such things. One answer stuck a chord in Judy: "It's hard to explain, but what else can you do that shows how much you love someone other than literally putting your life in their jaws?"

Judy stopped reading at that point and pulled her eyes away from the phone screen. She shifted, giving a quick sidelong glance up at Nick, who was intently reading something on his own phone, held up too high for Judy to see but it seemed to have his full attention as much as what she had been reading had. She stared out the windows across from them with an unfocused gaze as she started thinking.

She thought back to when she first started entertaining such ideas after the pit at the museum. Even then there had been a definite sexual thrill... that crazed look in Nick's eyes as he stalked through the fake grass towards her. It had been small, the life or death events they had been entangled in having been in the forefront but when Nick had leaped forward, his jaws closing around her neck... She shivered and pulled herself back from the memory. _Okay Jude, get a grip,_ she chided herself and tried her best to be objective. She also recognized that had been the point where she had started picking up those smutty novels too. She had started reading a lot of those, going through one or two a week. That small stack on her windowsill back at her apartment had been just the fraction of the pile she had read in the past months.

 _Life in their jaws_ , Judy thought, starting to nibble on her thumb nail again. She started to feel a bit better about all this now. It wasn't that she was a prude, she was a rabbit, after all. While admittedly she had little practical experience, sex was not something rabbits were embarrassed about, it was just that she _personally_ had had very little interest in it. It was a fact that had added to her oddball reputation as a teenager.

All her desires had been geared towards her dream of joining the force. Oh, she self-serviced often enough, but to her, it had been more akin to scratching a troublesome and distracting itch. Now, though… now, with Nick, that had all changed. She had been quite forceful in the bedroom so far. She was not shy about going after something she wanted. If you wanted something, you either went after it, or you didn't. She actually realized it was a bit of a character flaw of hers, if a small one in her own biased opinion but her single-minded drive for things she desired could, at times, make her seem bossy and overbearing.

Now, however, her interest in sex had most certainly been changed when it came to Nick. This whole thing about letting a predator not only bite her but actually wanting it was a wholly new thing, relatively speaking, as she had been having these fantasies for the better part of a year now. One thing she recognized as a key point was she could not imagine doing the whole pred-prey thing with anyone else but Nick.

Even when reading those books the predators were always faceless and indistinct in her mind's eye. Well, that was not entirely true. Often her mind would see russet colored fur, green eyes, a sly grin… The thought of actually doing something like that with some other predator didn't interest her in the least, it was only with Nick, it always had been.

She found herself completely understanding it now, or at least she thought she did. She shifted in her seat again, unintentionally rubbing up against Nick, still nibbling at her nail as she stared blankly out the windows, not seeing the verdant landscape as it sped by.

Nick… his jaws around her neck, that bite on her scruff from last night... She shivered. It was love, no doubt in her mind about that. It wasn't some perverted desire, it was just love in its most desperate and forceful form. She wanted to give herself to Nick in that way. Like the one study participant had said, it was the ultimate act of love. It was crazy, all mixed up with their animal instincts and love... but it just felt _right_.

Nick poked away at his phone just as Judy had, keeping the device up a bit higher so Judy couldn't see what he was doing. He started to enter 'Predator prey relationships' but as soon as he started typing the phone started offering up suggestions. When he started to enter 'prey' the list narrowed:

 _Pred Prey Play_

 _Predator Prey Relationship_

 _Predator Prey Model_

 _Predator Prey Simulation_

 _Predator Prey Graph_

Nick arched an eyebrow. _Right at the top of the list_ , he thought, _figures_. He tapped 'Pred-Play' and the first result that came up was a link to Anipedia so he tapped that next. A lengthy article appeared, and he started reading.

 _Predator-Prey play is a variety of erotic practices..._

Nick scrolled and read. He read the same study information Judy had and found he liked the idea of that. Of the ultimate expression of love. Is that what Judy thought or felt when she had asked him to do it? He admittedly felt awkward at first. It just seemed so… wrong? Wrong perhaps was not the best word, it had more to do with it being Judy. Judy wasn't someone he expected to intentionally put herself in a position of weakness or vulnerability, and she had most definitely been in charge of the more intimate aspects of their relationship to that point, which is a large portion of why it made last night such an odd experience.

Well, it had been strange, but only at first. As things progressed, he had found himself getting into it much more. He winced as he remembered the bite, feeling his teeth penetrate Judy's skin. _Perhaps a bit too much into it,_ he thought, but even that had been a strange kind of thrill. Blood aside, the experience had turned on some buried desire in him which he tagged as predatory instinct. _Bite, claw, chase, kill,_ he thought. That last made him feel a bit queasy. Not that he had been anywhere near doing something like that, but the drive had been there.

There had been more, however. Mixed in with everything else had been his love for Judy. As the one prey study member had said about putting their life in their predator partners jaws that same predator's view had been much the same. They had said, 'When I take him in my jaws I… feel that trust and love, that…well, there's nothing quite like that feeling. Does that make sense?' A couple of days ago that would not have made sense to him, but it certainly did now.

Again this was something new to him, but now those he did or had known in predator-prey relationships he saw with even more clarity. He understood them now where before it had been more of a shoulder shrugging 'to each their own' kind of view on things. If it had not personally gotten in his way or inconvenienced him, he had not cared one way or the other what others got up to in bed.

Nick blinked and lifted his head and tilted his muzzle up slightly, scenting the air. He knew that smell, he knew that smell quite well. He arched an eyebrow and looked down at Judy, who was cuddled up against his side, her legs pulled up and tucked under her. She was leaning against him while intently nibbling on the dull thumbnail of her right paw and staring blankly out the windows. Her phone was in her left paw, resting on her leg. Nick could see the display was showing the same article from Anipedia that he had just been reading.

"Carrots," he said quietly, giving a quick look down the length of the car at Beth and her kids, "Don't get me wrong, I really like how you smell, but if you don't stop thinking about what I think you're thinking you're going to hotbox the entire train car."

Judy blinked rapidly, pulling her thumb away. She looked up a Nick, eyes focusing then darting around as she processed what he had just said. Her ears fell, the insides flushing a furious pink.

"Crackers," she muttered in embarrassment and darted glance down at Beth and her kids who, thankfully, seemed oblivious so far.

Nick tilted his phone so Judy could see. "Great minds think alike," he said with a chuckle and wrapped an arm around her to snug her close.

Judy squirmed a bit, but she forced her thoughts into order. She cleared her throat. "Okay," she said and sat up a bit straighter and untucked her legs, "Right, not a good place to daydream about that I guess."

Nick _mmmed_ and cocked an eyebrow. "I suppose not," he said, wanting to ask her more about what she was thinking but let the silence drag out.

Judy reigned her thoughts and emotions in. When she felt she had a firm grip, or at least a firm enough one where her body would stop trying to betray her in public, she said, "I think I get it now."

Nick hummed and nodded slowly. "Me too," he said, "So what conclusions did you come to?"

Judy tongued her cheek for a moment. She found Nick's free paw and slid hers into it, intertwining her small fingers with his as best she could and gave him a squeeze.

"Just be careful with the teeth next time," she said, "but not too careful..."

* * *

 **Authors Note:**

Sorry for the long delay there folks. Real Life has been keeping me very busy and will be for the foreseeable future. And yes...at long last the next chapter will be day 1 of the visit to Bunnyburrow. I can't say when it will be done, but just hang in there. I'll do it as fast as time allows.

Yes, that is a nod and wink to Weaver to those of you how noticed ;)

Again a big thanks to my editors: Mordecai1039, athensdamanes and Gotriss Nholf. Mordecai1039, who is the author of the excellent ZT FanFic "Smooth Operator", was of even more help in working out some of the more tricky parts of the chapter, offering a lot good ideas and suggestions to help smooth out and add that extra bit of polish at a couple of key points. He's a crazy good editor (He does it for a living...) and his own story is excellent and on par with any of the top tier ZT fics out there IMO, so give it a read!


	14. Chapter 14 - Meet the Hopps

"Officer Hopps? Officer Wilde?"

Judy heard the voice. She also heard the giggling of children. She furrowed her brow and shifted, snuggling up against something soft and warm.

"Miss Hopps! We're almost to Bunnyburrow!" the voice said as something gently shook her by the arm.

Judy grumbled and squirmed again. The voice and gentle shake were insistent, however, and pulled her out of the strange in-between of dreams and wakefulness. She opened her eyes, blinking, and brought a paw up to cover a yawn. Her mind cleared and as her eyes focused, she saw a rabbit in front of her. _Beth_ , she thought as the name surfaced in her mind.

Beth stepped back once Judy started to wake. The doe seemed to be trying very hard to keep a grin off her face, a small paw coming up to cover her muzzle.

"We're just about to Bunnyburrow," Beth said, just barely restraining a laugh, "I thought I should wake you two." Beth's eyes drifted up to something above Judy's head.

Judy blinked her eyes rapidly and stifled another yawn. _Train_ , she thought, _Bunnyburrow... Parents... Nick..._ _what is so darn funny?_

The three rabbit kits clustered around Beth were not restraining themselves and giggled, eyes also focused on something above Judy's head.

Judy felt something warm drip onto her and start to trickle down between her eyes.

Her paw snapped up to feel, then jerked it back as it came back wet, and slightly slick, "What the..." she said and turned her head up to see Nick, slightly slumped over her, eyes closed, muzzle half open. A drop of something landed right on her nose.

Drool. Nick was asleep and drooling on her.

'Ack!" she sputtered and elbowed Nick in the stomach hard enough to wake him and get his attention.

"Nick!" she half-yelled while her other still dry paw rubbed at her nose.

Nick jerked awake with a spasm of flailing arms and kicking legs, sending phones slipping and sliding behind and between the two of them, yanking one charger right out of the outlet.

"Wha.. where?!" Nick yelped, nearly pushing Judy off the seat, making her squeak.

Beth and the three kits were all giggling now, although Beth was at least trying to contain herself, albeit not very successfully.

Judy wiped a paw over her head, bringing it back slick with fox drool.

"Eww! Really, Nick?!" she said in disgust and looked at her paw, wondering what to do with it. She considered wiping it on Nick's jeans, but that just seemed crude.

Nick blinked his eyes rapidly, realized where he was, and looked down at Judy. There was a rather dark looking damp patch right on the top of her head and leading between her wide-set eyes. His tongue licked out over his lips, and he wiped the back of a paw over his muzzle.

"Uh, sorry about that," he said through a sleepy yawn, paw rubbing where Judy had elbowed him, "Guess... mmph, I fell asleep."

Judy grunted and was still trying to figure out what to do about her drool-covered paw and head when Beth came to her rescue, offering up several wet sheets pulled from a small pack in her shoulder bag.

"Never leave home without them," Beth said with a hardly suppressed grin as she passed the wipes over.

"Thank you," Judy sighed and took the proffered wipes gratefully. She ran one over the top of her head several times then wiped her paw.

The absurdity of the situation plus the giggling amusement of Beth and the kids got the better of her, and she started to laugh as well. Given the last few days, Nick's drool was somewhat of a non-issue, but being drooled on wasn't something one expected to wake up to. She was reminded of that scary sci-fi movie she saw as a kid. That one with the drippy, drooly aliens with all the teeth, the thought adding to her own amusement.

Judy peered out the window as she gave her head one last wipe. She recognized the landscape and knew they would be pulling into the Bunnyburrow train station at any moment.

"Thanks again," she said to Beth with a smile, "If you hadn't woken us, who knows where we would have ended up!"

Beth returned the smile, "No trouble," the doe said, "I couldn't just let you two sleep through your stop!"

"Wouldn't be the worst thing in the world," Nick said half under his breath as he looked down, trying to figure out where the phones had gotten to.

Beth looked puzzled at Nick's comment and Judy rolled her eyes.

"Ignore him," Judy said, "He's just nervous about meeting my parents."

Beth's eyebrows raised. "Oh, my," she said, "well that does sound serious."

Both Nick and Judy made a little snort of bemusement as the train started to gradually slow, making everyone lean against the breaking.

"That's just what a friend of ours said this morning," Judy said with a grin and gave Nick a sidelong glance, "I guess it is kind of serious."

Nick smiled and gave Judy a wink. "Super serious," he said then muttered as he looked around some more, gathering up the phones, cords, and chargers from where they had managed to end up.

"This is Bunnyburrow, Next stops, Highburrow, Derry, Podunk," a calm female voice said from the speakers above, "Passengers disembarking please ensure you have all your possessions before exiting the train."

Nick made a frustrated sound as he started to collect the dislodged phones. He disconnected cords from the phones as the message was repeated.

Judy slid out of the seat and Nick passed her phone over before balling up the tangled cords and small power blocks, hurriedly stuffing the ball of cords and chargers back into the travel bag.

"I swear I'm getting one of those wireless chargers as soon as they are out," Nick muttered to himself.

While Nick fussed with stowing the cords and chargers, Judy offered a paw to Beth.

"It was nice to meet you," Judy said as they shook, "Thanks again."

"Don't mention it," Beth said and looked to her kits, "Say goodbye to Officers Hopps and Wilde!"

All three, Amanda not having a thumb in her muzzle for a change, waved and said, "Goodbye!" in almost perfect unison.

Nick stepped up next to Judy, bag and guitar slung over one shoulder, and offered his paw to Beth.

"A pleasure," Nick said.

The doe took Nick's paw with a little hesitation but smiled up at him. "It was nice meeting you too, Officer Wilde," she said, the insides of her ears flushing.

Nick replied with a little nod of his head and a smile. He then looked down to the kits and pointed a finger at them. "And you three," he said, "remember what Officer Hopps here told you. Study hard and get lots of exercise!"

All three kits looked up at Nick, eyes wide.

Alice and Alex replied with "Yes, sir!"

Amanda said, "I want red fur!"

Nick snorted, and both he and Judy gave a little laugh.

Beth rolled her eyes. "See, what did I tell you?" she said, then hustled the kits back to the seats, "Come on, we still have an hour to go."

Alex groaned. "I'm bored! I wanna go up there!" he said and pointed up to the observation deck.

Nick couldn't help chuckling at the kit.

The train's speed ebbed as the concrete platform, with its colorful carrot shaped pillars and red shingled shelter, slowly slid into view.

"Please stand back and wait for the train to come to a complete stop," the pleasant female voice said, "doors will be opening momentarily. Thank you for riding Rabbit Transit."

The train finally stopped, everyone rocking a bit, and the doors slid smoothly open. Warm, dry air wafted in to ruffle fur as the two of them stepped out onto the platform, exchanging one last wave with Beth and the kits back in the train.

The station wasn't Savana Central, but it was bustling nonetheless. On the platform was a crowd of mammals heading onwards stops beyond. A few who had boarded in Zootopia got off from other cars, but the majority of the passengers remained on the train. There were more waiting to board here in Bunnyburrow than there had been in the city itself. It was mostly a mix of rabbits, but there was also a pair of deer, a badger, and one big brown bear. There were others standing back, apparently waiting for the Zootopia bound train that would arrive shortly after this one departed.

Nick pulled out his sunglasses from his shirt collar and flicked them open, looking at the rabbit-sized pink, red, and all too cheery in his estimation, Bunnyburrow train station.

"This place looks like a very large child's toy," he said dryly as he settled the sunglasses on his muzzle, "Or candy."

Judy, herself, now found the colorful toy-like building a little much. She had become used to the more subdued and serious city architecture, and it was always a little mental shift when she came to visit now. She gave a laugh and smiled as she looked down at her phone, flicking through icons.

"I know, but you've not seen anything yet," she said, wondering just what Nick would think of her family burrows. She sent a quick text message to her parents before pocketing her phone.

 **We're here. Be at the stand in a bit.**

Nick furrowed his brow and pulled his sunglasses off. He held them up to inspect them before lowering back down and using the hem of his t-shirt to clear a smudge off. "I'm not sure if I should be alarmed at that statement or not," he said before he put them back on.

"Hey! Judy!" someone called, and both Judy and Nick paused, turning their heads to a group of rabbits standing farther down the platform. Most of the group had similar fur color to Judy's, although a few with various other shades and earthen hues mixed in as well.

Nick assumed they must be relatives of Judy; the family resemblance was impossible to miss. He saw little bits of Judy in each of them, be it the eyes, facial structure, or how the ears had those little black tips. The majority seemed to be around his or Judy's own age, although there were a pawful of young ones sticking close to one adult or another.

The group started towards them en masse, and within a few seconds they were facing nearly every rabbit on the platform that was not making their way onto the outbound train, but even those embarking called out and offered quick waves before the doors closed. The train started to move a few seconds later, slowly pulling away from the station.

Nick tried to play it cool, but could not help tensing up as the small horde of twenty or so rabbits advanced towards them. Most of the group looked pointedly at Nick, pinning him with curious gazes. A few of the looks seemed somewhat hostile, not that this surprised him. _Doesn't matter what I do, there are always going to be those who just see the stereotype,_ he thought sourly, but didn't let his feelings show. He kept his his expression in its default semi-smug state. _Keep it cool, Wilde._

Judy smiled and raised a paw. "Hi everyone," she said, voice slightly raised over the quiet chatter and muttering that had started up.

"So that's the fox?" someone said, a younger looking male who was giving Nick a not-so-friendly stare.

Twenty or so pairs of rabbit eyes focused intently on Nick. He offered what he hoped was a friendly smile, silently hoping for the best.

The eyes widened. A hush descended across the rabbits, noses twitched, and a few even noticeably recoiled as if Nick was going to suddenly leap at them.

Nick's ears fell. _What did I do?_ he wondered. His eyes darted over to Judy, signalling ' _help!'_

"Teeth!" Judy hissed at him out of the corner of her muzzle, "Teeth!"

Nick blinked and brought a paw up to cover his muzzle for a moment, his smile moderated to not show his teeth when he dropped it a second later. He felt, and probably looked, trapped.

The group of rabbits relaxed some, a few shuffling back.

"He is not _The Fox_ , Jeremy," Judy said pointedly to the sour looking fellow and sighed inwardly. She was still a celebrity in Bunnyburrow, and while that had died down over the past months, this reaction confirmed what she had half-hoped was an exaggeration from Mom and Dad about the whole town knowing about her and Nick. _After all_ , she thought, _the Hopps pretty much are the town._ She put a paw on the small of Nick's back, making an unambiguous statement as she stood in close to him.

"Everyone," she said, steeling herself, "this is my partner Nick Wilde, Zootopia's first fox police officer. And yes, he is also... my boyfriend."

Nick had expected a low murmur of conversation to break out, but instead, all were silent, eyes and ears trained on him... small noses wriggling. Nick raised a paw up to wave, one or two of the crowd hurriedly stepping back again.

"Uhm, hello, uh, everyone," he said and swallowed,"Nice to, uh, meet you all."

"Did he say eat us all?!" a female in the back asked after a second of silence, getting a bark of laughter from someone. This was all that was needed to let loose a deluge of other half serious questions and comments.

"Is he safe?"

"But he's a fox!"

"He doesn't bite, does he?"

"Is he going to stay in the burrow?"

"He's going to eat someone, you watch."

Judy groaned and started waving her paws in the air, "Alright, alright!" she said, voice rising.

"Well, I think he's handsome."

"I might stay here just to watch Mom have a stroke."

"Forget Mom, PopPop is going to go through the roof."

"Those teeth look sharp."

"ENOUGH!" Judy finally yelled in her most authoritative voice, the chatter immediately cutting off. She took in a big breath.

"I swear you're all like a bunch of grade school kits!" Judy huffed. "He did NOT say that, Janelle, and you know it," she said and started to rapidly point a finger, jumping from one rabbit to another as she spoke, "Yes, Howie, he's safe. Yes Martin, he's a fox, that's very observant of you. No, Katherine, he does not bite."

"That's a shame," Katherine said none too quietly, garnering a few shocked looks.

Nick gave a nervous gulp as Katherine very obviously ogled him up and down. He got the distinct feeling he was being mentally undressed.

 _She kind of looks like Judy_ , said an unhelpful part of his mind. Katherine did certainly have the family resemblance and was about the same height and size has Judy, but her eyes stood out. As stunning as Judy's violet eyes were, Katherine's were just as intent and piercing. Her fur was completely different from Judy's, a deep tan that faded to nearly black around the eyes, muzzle, and paws. The dark fur around her face made her eyes all the more striking.

 _Kind of... smokey,_ the voice continued _, and just look at how she's checking us out!_

 _Thanks, thanks a lot,_ he thought back to that part of him, _that's a big help._

 _Just imagine both-_ the little voice continued.

 _Stop that! Stop that right now!_ he scolded.

 _You really shouldn't be talking to yourself, it's not healthy,_ the voice said.

 _Shut up! Neither is thinking about Judy's sister like that!_

 _Hey, I'm just saying-_

 _Shut up!_

Judy paused for a heartbeat, oblivious to Nick's internal argument with himself, but not the comment from Katherine which she decided not to respond to.

"Yes, James, he will be staying in the Burrow. He is NOT going to eat anyone, Olly, you're not funny. He's extremely handsome, Leanne. Mom is NOT going to have a stroke, Jacob. PopPop can hardly stand, Penelope, let alone go through the roof and yes, Ginger, his teeth are very sharp and don't ask me how I know." She stopped, voice started to fade as she ran out of air. She took another big breath and looked past the group, thankful to see the inbound train fast approaching and starting to break.

"Now," she said in a quieter tone, paws up in a placating gesture, "If you're all done with the silly questions and comments... we will be here for a day or two, and I'm sure we'll all get to catch up later, but your train is here so..." She made small shooing motions, "Away with you! Go on! Get! Nick is nervous enough as it is about meeting Mom and Dad without you guys messing with him!"

This last caused the majority to start to relax in addition to a few snorts and chuckles of laughter. Heads turned to watch the slowing train just as it approached the far end of the platform. The small crowd began to break up, moving away in twos and threes, the hum of conversation starting up again with lingering looks in Nick's direction.

"Good luck, Nick!" one of yet unnamed female rabbits said, "You're gonna need it!"

This caused even more laughter and chatter.

"Seriously, we should stay and watch this..."

"Dad'll be fine, but I would not want to be him when Mom corners him."

"He IS pretty handsome... and I'd like to see those teeth up close."

"You're a pervert, Katherine."

The last of the group moved away to wait for the train pull in.

Judy closed her eyes and exhaled heavily, her cheeks puffing out. She looked up to Nick, who was staring blankly ahead, his ears splayed out.

"You alright, Nick?" she asked.

"It wasn't a joke, was it?" Nick asked quietly.

"Huh? What wasn't?" Judy asked, puzzled.

"You actually do have three hundred brothers and sisters, don't you?" Nick said, still gazing off into the distance. He honestly had thought it was a joke when Judy had mentioned it in passing at lunch months ago. He knew rabbits had big families, everybody knew that, but three hundred?

Judy arched an eyebrow. "Three hundred and twenty three, and no, not joking."

Nick gave a strained little giggle as he thought back to his second meeting with Judy. "You are good at multiplying!" he said.

"You've never been out to the burrows, have you?" Judy asked, cocking her head and giving Nick a slightly concerned look after that near manic laugh.

Nick blinked and looked over at the gaggle of rabbits waiting for the train. His old skills rose to the surface, and questions began to present themselves.

"How..." he started then turned to Judy, "How do you feed everyone? How do you house everyone?! I mean... forget the cost, the logistics alone-"

Judy put a paw up to and put a finger against the front of Nick's muzzle to silence him. "Shush," she said and pulled her paw away, "You'll see."

Judy guessed, like how Zootopia had been somewhat overwhelming to her when she first arrived, that the reverse could be true as well. She gave a small laugh at the less than thrilled look on Nick's face.

"Relax, Nick," she said soothingly, "It'll be fine!"

The train finally pulled into the station, slowing as it filled the length of the platform and stopped. The doors opened, but not a single passenger exited, and Judy's family began to pile into the nearest car.

"So you've said," Nick said in a dubious voice and looked around slowly, "but you'll have to forgive a fox for being nervous." He looked back down at Judy, "I mean, come on. Do I bite? Mom is going to have a stroke? Am I going to _eat_ someone? Seriously? When is the last time you heard of anyone eating someone else?"

Judy raised an eyebrow. "Well, there was the butch-" she began, but Nick waved his paws.

"Yeah yeah, the Butcher of Outback Island," he said, "insane maniacs don't count."

Judy sighed. "They were exaggerating, Nick!" she said as she grabbed Nick's paw and started to tug him towards the door to the station. "Look," she continued, "You'll have to get used to my family being a little... weirded out, okay? As far as I know, I'm the only one who's dated a predator, let alone a fox." She stopped just outside the door to the station and turned to Nick, taking both his larger paws in hers. "Just be on your best behavior, let them see you're a really... swell guy, and everything will be fine."

"Let them see I'm a really articulate fella, huh?" he said with a grin, looking back on the memory with fondness now. _If Finnick and I had been one minute later or earlier..._

Judy winced at the embarrassing memory. "Nick..." she started, but Nick stopped her.

"Okay, okay, Fluff," he said and deliberately made himself relax and put a smile on his muzzle "I'm overplaying it, but I would be lying if I said I wasn't just a bit worried here." Nick looked over as the train started to make noises that signaled it's impending departure. He began to turn back but did a double take. He spied one rabbit looking right at him out the window of the mid-sized mammal door of the nearest train car not more than twenty feet away.

It was hard to see any detail of the figure. The nearly overhead sun cast everything inside the train in shadow which the lightly tinted glass only enhanced, leaving the figure as an eerie, back lit silhouette. He could still see those very green eyes, though, they almost seemed to glow. A small crescent of white appeared and grew into a sultry, if bucktoothed, smile... or possibly a leer. _That could definitely be classified as a leer_ , Nick thought.

Nick swallowed. "Oh boy," he said, "I think we've started something."

Judy followed the gaze and saw a figure looking right at Nick, and that smile. She narrowed her eyes. "That has got to be Katherine," Judy said and clenched her jaw.

As if the figure had heard the eyes turned to Judy, and the grin widened. There was a wink of one green eye and the figure spun around as the train began to pull away.

"Okay, see," Nick said, "this is what I'm talking about."

Judy's eyes followed the train.

She would normally dismiss Katherine. Her sister was a huge flirt and she didn't think she would actively try and seduce Nick. She _might_ try, but Judy didn't think so. The only thing that made her wonder was the comment about wanting to see Nick's teeth... At the very least she was going to try and tease Nick. "Oookay, you might need to watch yourself around her, aaand a few others," she said reluctantly.

Nick grimaced. "I was starting to get that impression, " he said then looked down at Judy. "Sounding a little jealous there, Carrots" he said softly.

Judy pulled her eyes away from the train. "I am," she sighed, "I'm not used to being jealous. About anything!"

It was the second time Judy had that feeling well up in her, the first time being yesterday morning when first meeting Honey. It wasn't that she had never been jealous of something before, but over someone… this was something else. It was new and much stronger than what she had ever experienced before. She didn't like it. It invoked some very non-rabbity ideas of blood and mayhem. It felt ugly and beneath her, and she realized that was probably a sign that she was insecure about the relationship. _But that was just really blatant of Katherine_ , she consoled herself. What she didn't know was if Katherine was being serious or just messing with her. That wink made her think it was the latter, but it was hard to be sure.

Nick grinned, he could almost see the gears spinning in Judy's head. It was unworthy he knew, but seeing Judy in such a state over him just made him feel warm. "Don't worry Fluff," he said soothingly, breaking Judy's train of thought, "I told you, I love and only have eyes for you."

Judy sighed, somewhat mollified. She raised herself up on her toes, her height going up by several inches.

"You better, Mister Fox," she said and planted a kiss on his muzzle. She started to pull away... she had only meant for it to be a quick little kiss, but her riled emotions, and the surge of who knows what other chemicals in her head, had other ideas. Her ears fell and she pressed back in for another kiss that quickly devolved into something much more passionate. She reached up and grabbed Nick by the fur on his cheeks and pulled him to her. A small part of her was mortified to be doing this out in the middle of the platform for anyone to see, but another much louder voice, reasonably countered with the fact that there _was_ nobody else around. _And who cares_ , she thought, _let them see._ Another small voice commented on how this very thing is what landed them here in the first place, but she ignored that too.

Nick smiled at the first quick kiss then groaned quietly as Judy pressed back and pulled him to her. It didn't take much for him to return the kiss with just as much passion. He started to make a hungry sound as a fire blossomed in his belly and certain other parts of him started to respond. He slid a paw around the back of Judy's head and held her, the other slipping down and around her back to pull her closer. The strap from the bag slipped off his shoulder and slid down to his elbow, the bag hitting the concrete with a flump, but he paid it no mind as their muzzles pressed together. Lips and tongues met, questing and probing.

Judy made urgent, small noises in the back of her throat as the kiss continued. She wanted to climb Nick, wanted to wrap her legs around him like she had last night on the dance floor and oh so much more. She wanted to pull his shirt off and... and what? Do it right here in the middle of a public train platform? The thought from her more sensible self dampened her fire enough to reassert some semblance of control.

She reluctantly broke the kiss and let Nick go, lowering herself back down. She pressed her forehead against Nick's chest, ears perking back up straight.

"Oh my," she huffed breathlessly.

"Mmm," Nick hummed and nosed Judy's ears with affection. "That's playing dirty, Rabbit," he said, voice rough,"I don't know what game you're playing, but you have got to be cheating." His eyes were glazed, and he felt like he had the other night when Judy has kissed him in the stadium parking lot.

Judy, head still pressed against Nick, brought a paw up and gave him a couple gentle pats on his chest. "My fox," she said quietly and stood back.

Nick pulled himself together and gave Judy a lazy smile, loving it when she was being possessive over him. He started to fan himself with one paw. "Why, Miss Hopps, I do bah-leave I have tha vapors!" he said in a falsetto voice and languid, fake country belle drawl.

Judy snorted a laugh and gave Nick a little push. "You are a nut," she said.

"Fact," Nick said with a wink but then looked up at the cloudless sky, the noonday sun beating down on them. He adjusted his sunglasses, "But seriously Fluff, as much as I would like to stand here smooching with you, I _am_ getting the vapors, especially after that. It's hot as heck out here." He pulled at his t-shirt out a few times and re-shouldered the strap of the travel bag, trying to resist the urge to pant.

Judy gave a brief look up and mmmed. "Speaking of which, I was going to get us hats."

"Hats?" Nick said, looking down with cocked ears.

Judy nodded. "Trust me," she said, "you'll want one." She turned to push through the station doors. "Come on in if you want, but watch your head," she said.

Nick debated for a moment before going through. The building could probably accommodate him, but it was apparently built with rabbits in mind.

"I'll just wait out here and look suave," he said, unshouldering the guitar and travel bag. He leaned back against the wall of the station, just to the right of the window that flanked the main doors. The sun had traveled just enough that on this side of the building he had just a sliver of shade to stand in. "But if they have drinks, get me some water, I'm parched," he said, finding the glass of ice water he had this morning was hardly enough after last night.

Judy gave a little roll of her eyes. "Okay, slick, I'll be back in a few," Judy said and pushed through the doors, leaving Nick on the now empty platform.

* * *

Nick pulled at his shirt again. He _was_ getting hot, especially in these dark jeans and shirt. He started to think that perhaps going inside might have been a good idea after all. The station had to have air conditioning, didn't it? In the end he decided not to bother. Going into the sweet, cool air would just make coming back out all the worse.

He muttered to himself, this is one of the many reasons he liked his silk shirts and loose slacks; they were airy and helped you stay cool. _We are going to have to talk about who gets to dress me_ , he thought. He had a feeling he would not come out the winner very often, though.

He started to pant lightly, unable to help it. It was a warm day regardless of the shade. There was a nice breeze picking up, though, making it tolerable and carrying interesting scents.

He chuckled at the ridiculously cheerful station with its carrot pillars and bright colors. It was amusing, but he had to admit that it, along with the pastoral surroundings, was a nice change from the dour look the city tended to have. Depending on where you were, anyway. All the same, though, Nick started to feel unnerved. It almost felt as if he were being watched. It sent a shiver down his spine, making his hackles half rise.

He rolled on a shoulder and peeked through the window. Like the train the interior of the station was dark compared to the sun-bright outside; everything inside in shadow or silhouetted against the windows on the far side of the station hall. He just barely saw Judy in the dim light as she stood in front of some kind of rotating rack holding what he assumed were the aforementioned hats.

He sighed and rolled back to resume leaning against the wall, fidgeting under the feeling of... something nagging at him. He slowly looked around, scanning the countryside. In the distance he could hear the low bass rumble of an engine, a tractor perhaps, but aside from that, it was quiet.

 _Actually..._ Nick thought as he realized what it was that was making him feel on edge. It wasn't that it was quiet, it wasn't quiet at all. He could hear the buzz and chirp of insects, wind ruffling leaves in the nearby trees, the drone of a small prop plane somewhere in the distance, that tractor, and various other little noises he was not used to hearing. It wasn't the city, but it was noisy in its own subtle way. Adding to that was the fact that it was just so open when compared to the Zootopia. The wide open fields and the green, low rolling hills made Zootopia seem downright claustrophobic in comparison.

"Huh, "Nick said to himself. Now that he identified what it was that was causing the feeling of unease it simply abated as quickly as it had come. "Well, Nick old boy, you are a city fox," he said and grinned, hooking his thumbs into the pockets of his jeans.

He could count the number of times he had been outside the city proper on both paws and still have digits left over. His dealings in the past had only, on rare occasion, taken him out in the middle of the night to some relatively secluded locations just outside the city. Outside of those few instances he had spent almost his entire existence in the city.

He did have one dim memory from when he was very small, though. He squinted his eyes in recollection. It had been on the seaside somewhere. An expansive beach with nearly white sand... the memory of getting swamped by big waves... the taste and smell of salt water. His mother had been there, of course, and a few others but he could not recall who with any clarity. His father, perhaps? He couldn't be sure.

He rubbed a paw under his chin and shifted. He pushed the memories down, not wanting to dredge up too much. Regardless of what peace he had made yesterday the old guilt was still there, if now muted. _Was that really only yesterday?_ he wondered. He puffed his cheeks as he blew out a breath and started to concentrate on the impending meeting with Judy's parents. _And let us not forget her horde of brothers and sisters,_ he thought. Images of pitchforks and torches carried by irate townsfolk seemed tame now. _All they'll have to do is inhale all at the same time while in the same room with me and I'll explosively decompress,_ he thought.

He chuckled to himself and forced himself to relax again, something he found himself having to do quite a bit since getting off the train. _Not going to be that bad,_ he chided himself. Yes, they were rabbits, but what he knew of Judy's family so far all pointed to them being generally laid back and nice folks, if a bit wary of foxes. Sure there would be those who wouldn't like him or his relationship with Judy no matter what, but he had pretty much expected that.

 _Foxes and rabbits were ancient enemies, after all,_ he thought but, for the life of him, he could not remember why that was. He had never been very interested in any of the history classes he was forced to suffer through when younger, but suspected his ancestors very possibly ate some of Judy's. The idea made him a little queasy.

He just had to play it cool, be polite, be respectful, and show them what a fine, upstanding gentlemammal he was. _In other words_ _you have to con them into thinking you're not a con artist,_ he thought. _Were... were a con artist,_ he quickly corrected himself.

He rocked and ducked down again to have another look through the window when a slight motion caught his eye. He paused and peered, it was a sign just a little ways past the end of the platform. The top section was in the cartoonish shape of a rabbit head in the same bright colors and rounded look of the station. It said "You Are Now Leaving Bunnyburrow" along with the word 'Bunnyburrow' in a rolling, expressive lettering in the center. What had caught his eye, however, were the flicking numbers on the bottom part of the sign that read "Population." He blinked and leaned in, squinting harder as he took a few steps.

"Eighty-one million, four hundred..." he said, muttering the numbers to himself under his breath but letting the rest trail off. His ears flattened, and his eyes slowly grew wide. "What..."

* * *

Judy pushed her way through the door to the station. Passing from the train to the noon-day heat and now back into the air-conditioned station interior made her shiver.

The interior was much like the outside. Bright yellow, white, and pink paint with hardly a straight line to be seen. The station also doubled as the town gift shop with a few short rows of shelves that proudly displayed Bunnyburrow themed souvenirs, t-shirts, and assorted knickknacks.

The only other mammal in the station was an elderly looking rabbit, a dark brown, but was going heavily gray around the muzzle and eyes. He sat behind a counter that ran along one wall and was dressed in a crisp long sleeved white button-up shirt, dark button-up vest, and visor style hat. The rabbit shook a newspaper he had been reading and lowered it enough to give a quick look at who had entered but then paused as he saw Judy..

Judy smiled and waved a paw. "Hi!" she said, ignoring the fact that the newspaper was the one from this morning with her and Nick on the front page. Well, at least the bottom of the page in a corner, but that was little comfort.

She didn't really know the buck well. She did know his name was Harold and was related to her, which wasn't saying much in Bunnyburrow, and had been working at the station for as long as she could remember.

Harold didn't respond to Judy, and she pretended not to notice the lingering, non-approving gaze as it followed her over to the rotating rack of sun hats and caps that stood next to a magazine rack and drinks cooler.

 _Maybe PopPop_ is _going to go through the roof,_ she thought glumly, and had to strain a bit to keep her ears from drooping. It was probably a pretty good bet that most of those who were not keen on her and Nick's relationship were going to be the older, more 'traditional' types.

She blew out a breath and examined the hats on the rack. They were almost all the cheap, big brimmed variety made of straw by some industrious local resident. There was also a small selection of ballcaps that her dad favored with either 'Bunnyburrow' or a carrot logo embroidered on it. She could tell the latter type, unfortunately, were all too small for Nick. A slow smile spread on her muzzle as she chose two of the big, floppy brimmed hats, the thought of Nick wearing one making her almost giggle out loud.

She moved over to the cooler after picking up the hats, examining the flavors on offer through the glass door. She eventually pulled out a carrot juice for herself, from her family farm no less, and a larger bottle of water for Nick. She turned to take the items to the counter but another display of snacks caught her eye and she stopped. She clutched the bottles against herself with one arm and put both hats on her head so she could reach down to pick up a candy bar. It was wrapped in plain brown waxed paper with a sticker on the front that read 'Grey & Hopps' in arching old-time lettering above the large print 'Carrot Crunch!' She looked down at the other flavors, of which there were several, then back at the bar in her paw.

"Huh... when did they start doing this?" she asked herself quietly. This new venture with Gideon had to be a recent thing as there had been no discussion of this when she had been here a couple of months ago or any of the phone calls she had had with her folks recently. She reached down and picked up another bar, one labeled 'Chocolate Blueberry Blast!', knowing Nick would enjoy it given his affinity for blueberries. She tried to think if Nick liked chocolate or not, and found she simply didn't know. _But hey, who doesn't like chocolate?_ she thought.

She took her armful of items and placed them on the counter, taking the hats off her head and setting them down as well.

Harold shook his newspaper out and folded it, deliberately arranging it so that the bottom of the front page with the picture of her and Nick leaving MacNelly's last night was displayed.

"That's all!" she said, trying to keep a friendly smile on her face and cheery tone to her voice. It wasn't easy.

Harold gave her a brief, disapproving look then glanced down at the items.

"That'll be seventeen-fifty," he said after a moment, apparently calculating the cost and tax in his head.

Judy paid for the items with the card Clawhauser had given her last night, quickly signing the receipt and storing it in her billfold. Before she had the billfold back in her pocket, Harold had his newspaper back up, blocking her view of him. She gritted her teeth, he had not even offered her a bag or anything! She tried to glare a hole in the newspaper as she snatched up the items, tears threatening to build in her eyes, then marched to the door.

 _Did he see us through the window?_ she wondered, but thought probably not given the slight surprise Harold had shown when first seeing her.

She was... well she wasn't sure what she was. Just a couple of minutes ago she had been kissing Nick out in the open and telling herself she didn't care who saw them. Was she angry? Certainly. Indignant? Absolutely. However, she was also embarrassed, and somehow ashamed too, which was the only thing stopping her from turning around and giving the bigoted old jerk a piece of her mind. Instead, she just put a foot on the door and shoved, hard.

* * *

Nick let out a startled yelp when the door hit him in the nose with enough force to send him reeling backwards, falling onto his rump.

Judy came around the door in a rush, ears up, to see Nick sprawled there with his paws covering his nose, his eyes brimming with tears.

"Oh Nick!" she said, her upset at the treatment she had gotten from Harold forgotten for the moment. She went to her knees, dropping her armful, "I'm so sorry!"

Nick blinked his tearing eyes and pulled his paws away, looking at the smear of blood on them, his sunglasses askew on his muzzle.

"Oh, carrot sticks!" Judy said as she saw the trickle of blood from both of Nick's nostrils. She looked around, trying to think of something to use to staunch the blood. Something from the travel bag perhaps... but then she remembered the wipes she had stuffed into her pocket and pulled out the still damp, wadded up sheets.

"What were you doing?" she asked as she started to dab at Nick's bleeding nostrils.

Nick blinked and tenderly touched his nose with one finger and sniffed loudly. With his other paw he pointed past Judy and said, voice nasal, "That! How have you rabbits not overrun the planet yet?!" He was actually starting to become seriously alarmed. You always heard the old jokes about how rabbits multiplied, but that was just insane.

"Huh? What? Stop touching it!" she said and batted Nick's paw away. She looked behind her in the direction he was pointing. Her eyes darted back and forth. "I don't see anything," she said as she turned back so she could gently dab at the blood. She pushed his paw away again as he absently tried to reach up and feel again. "Cut that out." It was a mirror of what had happened last night and should have been a little funny at least, Nick's poor mashed nose aside, but her mood had soured after that interaction with Harold.

"The sign!" Nick said with concern, still staring past Judy.

"What?" Judy said and looked behind herself again, this time registering that dumb population sign. She rolled her eyes as she turned back, starting to tear one of the wipes into smaller chunks.

"Oh that," she said with a sigh, "It's not real, it's a joke."

Nick held his paws up out of the way for a second, then resettled his sunglasses. He put both arms down to help prop himself up as Judy doctored him.

"A joke?" he asked "I mean," he said, then paused to sniff hard to prevent blood from dripping, Judy patting at his nose again, "if there's really over eighty million of you here just make sure I get to be your personal slave, okay?"

Judy smiled and lifted up her chin, briefly pulling her eyes away from her ministrations to give Nick a half-lidded look, "My very own foxy toy, huh?" she said, the lyrics from some throwaway pop song she had liked when she was in junior high surfacing. _How did the rest of it go?_ she wondered, _Hey, Hey Mister fox, will you take me back to your den, will you be my lover boy, be my very own foxy toy?_ Something like that. _Funny I remember that now,_ she thought then remembered the song had been called 'Mister Fox.' She had completely forgotten about it, the group that had made it a one hit wonder who were now in the 'where are they now?' file. For a few weeks she had used its catchy beat to run to, even if she hadn't really put much thought into the lyrics at the time. She also remembered it causing a bit of a stir. Not exactly moral outrage, but more along the lines of moral ' _harrumphing_ ' from adults. Well, adult rabbits, anyway. She shrugged inwardly and dismissed the thought as she tended to Nick.

Nick's expression froze. _Oh no. She doesn't know, does she?,_ he thought, Trying his best to not betray the sudden panic that overtook him he said, "You bet, Fluff." _No… no, she didn't know. If she did know she would have said something long before now,_ he told himself, some of the initial panic ebbing. He tried to give Judy a lazy smile and inwardly cringed as she gave him a puzzled look back, his reaction having betrayed him after all. _She cannot find out about that! Eject! Abort! Change the subject! Don't say anything else, you fool!_ his mind howled, _If this ever gets out at the precinct…_

Judy narrowed her eyes. "What was that?" she asked.

"What was what?" Nick asked, a bit too quickly and forced a smile on his muzzle.

"Nick," Judy said with a sigh, "You are a terrible liar when you get painted into a corner."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Nick said, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Nick..." Judy said. She was ready to push the issue, the cop in her demanded answers to when she knew something was being hidden, but the treatment from Harold was bothering her a lot more than she first thought. "Oh, never mind," she said, teeth grinding as her emotions once again threatened to boil over. She continued to dab at Nick's nose, blood still trickling from each nostril.

Nick blinked, hearing the shift in Judy's tone, seeing the shine building in her eyes, and his concern about that embarrassing bit of his past was forgotten.

"Hey, hey," he said softly and sniffed again, "If it means that much to you-

"It's not that!" Judy said, her voice wavering.

Nick wasn't sure what was going on, now. _Is she upset because she hit me with the door?_

"If it's my nose, I'm fine, Fluff. Just an accident," he said softly, watching her expression with concern.

Judy clenched her jaw, her eyes darting up to Nick's briefly. "It's not that either," she said and rubbed a paw over her own nose and shrugged, "I mean it is, but... it's just that jerk inside."

"What?" Nick said, and perked his ears. He sat up straighter, his hackles starting to rise with a rush of adrenaline as a protective urge washed over him, "What happened?"

Judy looked down and started to tear a piece off one of the wipes and ball it up. "The rabbit behind the counter. The station master or whatever. The look he was giving me," she said, her voice cracking momentarily but she clamped down on that quickly and growled, "He barely acknowledged I was there, like I was some kind of walking pile of trash..." She then reached up to try and start stuffing the small wad of wipe into one of Nick's nostrils while the other reached up to wipe at her eyes.

Nick brought a paw up and gently took Judy's wrist, taking the small wad of paper from her fingertips with his other. "I think I'm well enough to stuff my own nose, thank you," he said, and let her wrist go.

Judy didn't protest, she just sat back on her legs and looked down, rubbing at her eyes again.

Nick took in a big breath and stuffed the small wad of paper into one nostril and started to scoot closer to Judy, turning himself around.

"Okay, " he said in a gentle tone, "alright, come here." He wrapped an arm around Judy and snugged her close against his side, his paw resting against her belly. "There we go," he said as Judy leaned on him.

Nick had been waiting for a moment like this to happen, it was inevitable. He was used to being looked at with instant suspicion and distaste, and sure, Judy had those who discounted her because of how small she was, but he doubted many looked at a bunny and thought 'Ugh, a _bunny_ , better watch my valuables!'

He sniffed hard again, feeling a drop of blood threatening to drip. "Hold on tight," he told Judy as he reached down to grab a bit of the wipe.

Judy clenched her paw and Nick tore a small chunk off, quickly stuffing it into his other bleeding nostril.

"Ugh," he grunted, "all I can smell is morning fresh or whatever this is supposed to be." He wriggled his nose, wincing. _That is going to be sore for a while,_ he thought. He turned his full focus on Judy, hugging her tight against him again.

Judy leaned against him, still upset but finding comfort in being close to Nick.

Nick let the breath out in a long sigh and rubbed his paw in small circles on Judy's belly. "I hate to be the one to break it to you Carrots, but he's not the first, and he's not going to be the last."

Judy blinked her eyes and looked up. "I know, but..." she said and paused, brow furrowing and ears coming back up, "Wait, what you do mean not the first?"

Nick reached across his body with his other arm and cupped Judy's cheek, briefly tilting her face up to him. He gave her a sad little smile. "Sweetheart, you may not have noticed," he said, voice a bit more nasal now, "But I've seen more than one unfriendly look our way." He took his paw away and gave her a squeeze. "Come on," he said, and grunted as he rocked forward to stand up, "we can't just sit here." Once up he reached down and offered a paw to Judy.

Judy took Nick's paw and let him pull her up to her feet. She looked up and asked, "Who? Where?" She didn't recall seeing anyone giving them looks, but then again she had been rather distracted the last couple of days.

Nick waved a paw and ducked down to start picking up the items Judy has spilled onto the ground. "Doesn't matter," he said, "it wasn't a lot, but a few." _Including from your own family_ , he thought but didn't voice, recalling the looks from some of the group just minutes ago. He stood back up with the broad-brimmed floppy hats. He arched an eyebrow at them but set one onto his own head without making a comment while settling the other onto Judy's. It fit him poorly, and he had to keep his ears splayed out or back, but would do to keep the sun off. It also had the added benefit of taking Judy's mind off the problem, making her giggle. He imagined he made quite a picture with the hat, sunglasses, and wads of paper stuffed up his nose.

"You look ridiculous," she said, adjusting her own hat as Nick leaned back down to pick up the drinks and candy bars, examining them.

"I know. Ooh!" he said as he handed Judy the carrot juice and the other candy bar, "Chocolate Blueberry!"

Judy looked at the drink and candy bar in her paws distractedly. _This must be what Nick has to deal with all the time,_ she thought. She had dealt with being looked down on because of her size and sex, but that was an entirely different burden to bear than being looked at with disgust because of what or who you were. It wasn't quite like the way foxes were often treated, but it didn't seem too far from it either. It was like guilt by association. She remembered when she first saw Nick, how she immediately assumed he was up to something. _Wait,_ _he WAS up to something,_ she thought wryly _,_ and shook her head, _okay, bad example Jude_.

"I'm used to being looked down at for being a bunny," she said with a sigh, "But not... this."

Nick turned, drink and chocolate bar in one paw, and picked up the guitar case and bag with the other. He slung the straps over a shoulder and started to adjust them as he swiveled back. "I know you're not," he said, "but... well, it's going to happen." He sidled over and gave her a very light bump with his hips. "Remember what I told you on the sky tram?"

Judy gave a little laugh at the bump and leaned back in to push against him, wrapping an arm around his long torso, "Never let them see they get to you."

Nick snugged Judy against him as they briefly passed under the shelter again, heading towards the road. He looked around as they walked into the small gravel parking lot. "That's right," he said, sounding like a school teacher, then quickly added, "Just, you know, not with me. You don't have to hide anything from me."

Judy _mmmed_ and rubbed her head against Nick. "Never," she said and gave Nick's arm a quick kiss.

"Where are we going, anyway? " Nick asked as they walked towards the road, "is someone going to pick us up?"

Judy thumbed to the left. "We'll just walk. My parent's stand is only a mile down the road," she said, "We'll get a ride to the burrow from there later."

Nick grunted. The guitar and bag were not particularly heavy, but lugging them for a mile in the noonday summer sun was not high on his list of favorite things to do.

Judy looked up at the sound, ears cocking. She disengaged herself from Nick and reached up, "Here," she said, "Give me the bag."

Nick shrugged his shoulder, adjusting the straps. "I'm fine," he said, not wanting to admit to or appear weak in front of Judy.

"Nick," Judy said in that tone, "Give me the bag." She clutched the drink and carrot bar to her chest with one arm and held up her other paw up insistently, opening and closing it rapidly for emphasis, "Gimmie."

Nick's shoulders slumped. "Fine," he said and let the bag strap slide off his shoulder.

Judy caught the bag as it dropped and fussed with it for a moment, it was obviously not made for someone her size. Instead of bothering with the long shoulder strap she, while juggling the drink and carrot bar, simply used the two handles as shoulder straps, turning the entire thing into a makeshift backpack.

"Huh," Nick said, "Clever bunny."

Judy shifted and rolled her shoulders, settling the bag in place; it would do. "I thought we already established that," she said with with a smile before starting to walk again, "when you're my size, you learn to think outside of the box."

Nick fell into step next to Judy and twisted the cap on the bottle of water. He took a long, cooling, pull from the bottle as they made their way out to the road, Judy doing the same with her carrot juice.

"Ahhh, better," Nick said. He licked his lips and took another drink, the ice cold water helping cool him and calm that urge to pant. He picked up the conversation again as they reached the road and began to walk along the shoulder.

"But back to the jerk," he said, "actions and words only have the power you give them. Reacting or being offended just gives them, and those they come from, power over you. You stop reacting, then there's no power."

Judy was silent for a bit and sipped her juice thoughtfully before finally saying, "I guess, but it's not easy."

"Oh, don't I know it," Nick said with a chuckle, "but I've had a lot of experience with it. Trust me, nothing irritates bigots and speciesists more than being ignored."

Judy snorted. "And that makes you happy, doesn't it?" she asked, looking up at him knowingly.

"Absolutely," Nick replied with a nod and smug grin.

Judy let out a little laugh and sucked down more of the juice. She adjusted her hat again and found her hunger was starting to come back.

She capped the juice and held the bottle under one arm while she opened up the Carrot Crunch bar, the smell making her mouth water as her hunger surged. She took a bite and chewed thoughtfully, it was quite good and loaded with bits of sweet carrot.

Nick looked down, watching Judy for a moment before he brought his own chocolate bar up to look the label over. "Grey and Hopps?" he said as he tore the wrapper open to give a testing nibble. He hummed in delight, finding it to his liking, and took a larger bite.

Judy shrugged, "It would seem that way. Your guess is as good as mine. These must be new. They were selling pies with Gideon, but they never mentioned anything about making anything else with him."

Nick hummed around a mouthful of chocolate and sweet blueberries bits. "Mmmph, well," he said, swallowing, "No complaints from me, this is pretty good."

They walked in companionable silence for a time, each nibbling on the treats. Judy tried to put Harold out of mind. In retrospect, the silent rebuke from the old buck had upset her a lot more than it should have. She chalked it up to the general stress the last few days had caused. _I am not going to let someone get to me like that again_ , she told herself, but right now she wasn't very confident that she wouldn't. She simply didn't understand why anyone cared if predators and prey had relationships.

She could see from an intellectual level why there was an objection from some, but from an emotional point of view, it just didn't matter or make any sense to her. Not really, and especially not now. She didn't fall in love with Nick because he was a fox or a predator, she fell in love with him, with who he was inside. She thought back to the pit in the museum and gave a little shiver. _Okay, perhaps being a predator had a little bit to do with it,_ she reluctantly admitted to herself.

Nick's mind was more on the meeting with Judy's parents that was growing ever closer with each step. His mind was also on a certain Katherine and wondered how many other of Judy's sisters would be harboring similar thoughts. Just how much of a thing had they really started? He snickered as he had an image of a flood of Judy's siblings prowling the streets of Zootopia looking for some poor, unsuspecting, predator to pounce upon.

Judy arched an eyebrow and looked up at Nick. "What're you laughing about?"

Nick thumbed back in the direction of the train station with a grin. "That Katherine. I'm really wondering if we've started a trend here. I had this picture of your family roaming the streets of Zootopia like a pack of vampires."

Judy snorted and took the last bite of her bar and chewed for a bit before uncapping the bottle to wash it down with the last of the juice. "Actually, I'm afraid we just might have," she said seriously, "Katherine had always been a bit of a wild one, but if she was giving you the eye, then simple statistics say there has to be more."

Nick rolled his eyes. _That's my Carrots,_ he thought, but was glad she had apparently put the jerk at the station behind her. He popped the last of the chocolate into his muzzle, stuffing the wrapper into a pocket. "So," he said around the mouthful and decided it may be best to avoid a conversation about Judy's potentially predator-amorous sisters, "Where were they all going anyway?" Nick wanted to assume that they were not heading into Zootopia itself, there were a few small stops between here and there, but something told him that they had indeed been heading into the city.

"Hmm?" Judy hummed, mind distracted by more jealous thoughts of having to beat her sisters off Nick with a broom. She blinked and pushed the thoughts away. "What? Um, they're heading into Zootopia," she confirmed and crumpled up her own wrapper, pocketing it. "Probably going to the movies and shopping." She gave a little laugh. "Now that is something I can safely say I started," she said with real amusement, and a bit of pride. "After the whole nighthowler thing was exposed, and I didn't get eaten or mauled after a few months, some wanted to start taking trips to 'see the big city!'" Judy said and grinned, "I'm sure my tales of excitement and fun things to do didn't help, either. Mom and Dad aren't thrilled, but not much they can do about it."

Nick scoffed. "What do you know about fun things to do? As far as I can tell when you're not working, you're reading smutty novels."

"Shut up!" Judy squeaked and swatted Nick's arm, her inner ears flushing furiously. She pointed a finger at him, "Don't you dare say anything about those novels to anyone!"

"Do I look crazy to you?" Nick asked, "I assure you my sense of self-preservation is perfectly healthy. I will not disclose your dirty little secret to your family."

"I said anyone, Nick!" Judy snapped and reached out to grab his free paw and squeezed it, her voice taking on a pleading tone. She didn't want her family knowing, but fellow officers? "Please? Come on, if the guys at the precinct find out... please!?"

Nick hummed and looked thoughtful. "I could agree, Carrots," he said then looked down at her with a grin, "but I'm afraid it would be a lie."

"Niiiiick!" Judy pleaded.

Nick held up his other paw. "Sorry, Fluff. The comedic possibilities are endless." He felt somewhat guilty, though, having just been in a panic himself about her finding out about that stupid video he had been in, but, well… not _too_ guilty.

Judy closed her eyes. She changed tack, slowly increasing her grip on Nick's paw and opened her eyes to look up at him. "Wilde, I swear to whatever gods there are I will make you pay, and pay hard, if this ever gets out!"

Nick could not stop himself from grinning. "Promises, promises!" he said, wiggling his fingers in Judy's grip, "Besides, it might just be worth it!"

Judy groaned again and put a paw on her forehead. She could just see it if her smutty predator-prey novel addiction got out. The ribbing and jokes would never end. _They would probably come up with some new nickname for me like 'Snack' or 'Bite-sized'._

Nick chuckled again, eyeing Judy with an amused sidelong glance.

"Oh just shut up, Nick," Judy said, but let it go. Nick could be supremely irritating at times but being mad at him over something like this was like being mad at a rock for being a rock. She shifted her grip on his paw, twined her fingers into his and hugged his arm to her front.

"But speaking of my parents," Judy said, deciding the best thing to do was move the subject to something else, "I need to coach you on what to expect."

Nick raised his eyebrows. "Well that's comforting," he said dryly.

Judy gave Nick's paw a squeeze. "Oh hush, it won't be that bad, but I have a lot of older siblings that have brought home prospective mates. I know how Mom and Dad operate."

Nick shrugged. "Okay," he said and leaned down to kiss Judy between the ears, "Prospective mate, teach me your wise ways." He didn't really think it would be a problem, as long as they gave him a fair shake and it wasn't all about him being a fox. A nagging part of him was afraid it was, though.

Judy sighed happily at the kiss. It always made her want to squirm when he did that, and for some reason him saying 'prospective mate' made the urge all the worse. She did her best to calm herself and thought for almost a minute before speaking. "Okay, so," she started, "At some point both will subtly try and get you alone and grill you."

"Oh, goody," Nick said with a distinct lack of enthusiasm, "I hear fox is great on the barbecue. Is that why there's so few of us around?"

"Come on, Nick!" Judy said, "This is serious. I want them to see you're not some... some..."

"Some con artist city fox trying to take advantage of their poor, innocent, naive, country daughter?" Nick offered.

Judy sighed. "Yes, more or less," she said.

"Soooo, " Nick said, "Just how much have you told them about me?"

Judy ran her free paw over her head and tugged on an ear. "Some, not a lot. I told them you... uh, drove an ice cream truck. You know, the kind with the tinkly music the kids all go crazy for."

Nick reached up and pulled the wads of paper out of his nostrils, pretty sure the bleeding had stopped. He rubbed a fingerpad over his nose. "Well, that's not a complete lie, I guess," he said and examined his finger, glad to not see any fresh smears of blood. He gingerly wriggled his nose back and forth. Definitely sore, but at least it was no longer bleeding. He wondered what to do with the sodden lumps of bloody paper and was about to just toss them into the grass when Judy held out a paw with the remaining wipe pulled from a pocket.

"Thanks," he said and deposited the wads into the wipe and Judy balled it up before stuffing it in back into her pocket.

"How's your nose?" she asked, looking up and giving his arm a tighter hug.

Nick sniffed tentatively, still only smelling the fragrance of the wipes, but everything seemed to be in working order. "Fine," he said, "I've had worse, but you really put some oomph behind that door."

Judy winced. "Sorry," she said, "He didn't even give me a bag so I had all that stuff in my arms and I was angry and-"

Nick chuckled and wiggled his fingers again, deliberately giving Judy's belly a tickle to distract her, making her squeak. "It's fine, Fluff."

A car pulled out from the side of the road in the distance ahead and started coming their way, drawing Nick's attention. He noticed a small building as well, next to a tall tree, and a few other vehicles parked along the road nearby. "That where we're heading?" he asked.

Judy settled, a smile still on her muzzle, and looked down the road. "Not quite, " she said, "I mean, that's the stand, yeah."

"Huh," Nick said, "I was expecting something bigger." He looked out through the fields of cultivated plants, spotting a large barn, done in a similar style to the train station he noted, and two silos off in the distance. "Is that the farm?" he asked, nodding in the direction of the big building.

Judy followed Nick's gaze. "That's just one of the barns," she said.

"One of them?" Nick asked, his ears trying to perk up, sending the hat askew. He slapped a paw up to catch it before it slid off, mashing it back down.

"Mmhmm," Judy hummed, "This is just part of the eastern fields." She looked up at Nick with a grin, "Look around you, Nick. This is all my family's farm."

Nick did look around. For as far as the eye could see, or at least until the low hills in the distance, were fields upon fields of cultivated land. "This is ALL your family's farm?"

Judy smiled, family pride welling up. "Mmhmm," she hummed once again and nodded towards the hills in the distance, "West fields are over the hills there."

"There's MORE?" Nick said, incredulous as the one car passed by, the occupants waving and smiling.

"North and south fields too," Judy said casually as she waved back.

Nick tried to think about the scale of what he was seeing. There had to be two or three hundred hectares visible from this spot alone. The time and mammal power it would take to tend all this land was staggering.

Judy's phone buzzed in her pocket and chirped the tone that said she had a new message. She looked up at Nick curiously as she pulled the phone out, not understanding why he was so surprised. "What is it?" she asked and looked down to see the one word reply:

 **Ok. Meet you there.**

Nick looked back and forth again, taking in all the land. "How... I mean, how do you manage," he said then stopped, remembering what he had been looking at when that door had literally smashed the thought out of his mind. "The sign," he said, "it's a joke?"

Judy put her phone away and blinked, feeling Nick start to tense up as she held his arm. "What, the population sign?" she asked.

Nick nodded but didn't say anything, trying to reconcile the small family stand in the distance with a massive amount of cultivated land.

Judy rolled her eyes. "Yes," she said, "The sign is a joke. You can thank Dad for that, it's mostly his doing."

"What?" Nick said, looking down, ears threatening to lift the hat up again.

"Oh, Dad is going to be so thrilled you fell for that," Judy half laughed, "The real number is more like eight million, for the entire tri-county area, let alone the tri-burrows." She began to laugh in earnest now, finding Nicks earlier near-panic at the thought of eighty-one million rabbits descending on Zootopia like some kind of devouring horde more than a little funny.

"You're sure?" Nick asked and calmed some, looking more confused now than worried.

Judy nodded and wiped a tear from the corner of one eye. "Yes, a joke! Mom and Dad pretty much run the town council and Dad thought it would be oh so funny to put that up. The numbers that keep flipping? The whole thing just counts to a billion and starts over, it hasn't even rolled over once yet since they built it."

"So," Nick said, "It's just Bunnyburrow messing with unsuspecting mammals…"

Judy could not keep a grin off her muzzle. "Pretty much. Besides, how would we track births in realtime? Not to mention the fact population growth is exponential, not linear." She snorted and laughed some more. "Oh the look on your face, Nick," she said, "if there were that many in Bunnyburrow we would be walking on them."

Nick gave Judy an exaggerated frown "Okay," he said, "fine brainiac, just eight million then?"

"Yes," Judy said, nodding, a big grin still on her muzzle.

"For all the tri-county area," Nick said.

"For the tri-county area," Judy confirmed with a nod.

Nick hummed in thought. "Okay, well," he said, "That's what, Bunn, Deerbrook, and Haresford," he said. He dredged up a map in his mind, recalling the oddly shaped cluster of three counties. They were pretty big as far square area went, and were dotted with a multitude of towns but...

"That's still a lot of rabbits, " he said and narrowed his eyes, "Zootopia itself is hardly eight million if you don't count little Rodentia."

"It's not all rabbits," Judy said, "Just mostly, especially in the tri-burrows area."

Nick looked out at the expansive fields again. He was about as far from a farmer as you could be and had only a tenuous idea of where his food came from, but even he knew that this much farmed land would need things like planting, tilling, irrigation and all the other things one did if you wanted to get anything out of it. He didn't see any evidence of that, though. Outside of the figures at the stand itself, he didn't see a soul out in the fields tending to anything and said as much to Judy.

"Oh," Judy said, "that's because it's Sunday. It's kind of a down day except for some harvesting for keeping the stand stocked. Plus some fields are left fallow for a season or two to recover and not every field needs attention every single day."

"So wait," Nick said, "your whole family works the farm? All three hundred and however many?"

Judy smiled and shrugged, hugging Nick's arm again, she loved cuddling his arm like this while they walked. "Well, all except the really little kits and elderly, sure."

Nick arched an eyebrow. "I think there's a law against child labor you know."

Judy snorted. "Nobody is forced to toil away like some slave, Nick," she said, "and you would be surprised as how quickly a couple hundred of us can plant, weed, or harvest a field."

"Huh," Nick said _,_ thinking about that. "Well," he said eventually, "I suppose I have a lot to learn about rabbit culture out here."

Judy hummed contentedly, she liked the sound of that, of Nick learning and getting to know her family and their admittedly crazy ways. How she had learned a lot about Nick yesterday, he was learning a lot about her today.

"Not all rabbit families are as big as ours. We're kind of the exception," she noted, "There's usually only one big burrow in an area. That's why this is called the 'tri-burrows' area, there's only the three big family burrows."

"Huh," he said, and peered forward. None of the other vehicles had left the stand yet, a small group seeming to be gathered around the front of the small structure. _Please let them not be there waiting for Judy and me,_ he silently begged.

"Kind of like Beth," Judy said after a few seconds.

"What?" Nick said and looked down at Judy, attention drawn back to her.

"Like Beth," Judy said again, "from the train?"

"Oh," Nick said, "right. What did she say? Selective in vitro?"

Judy nodded. "Can't blame her," she said, "having a ten or twelve kits in the city sounds like a nightmare to me. Out here though it's pretty reasonable."

Nick scoffed at the idea. "For you rabbits maybe," he said, "ten fox kits anywhere sounds like chaos."

Judy grinned big. "Wait until you see the burrow," she said, "It's a kind of an organized chaos."

Nick gave Judy a flat look. "I'm pretty sure 'organized' and 'chaos' are mutually exclusive, Fluff."

"You'll see," Judy said again and rubbed a cheek against Nick's arm. Now that they were here in Bunnyburrow she found she was starting to get excited about Nick meeting her family, seeing where and how she grew up. _Perhaps this was a good idea after all,_ she thought.

As they started drawing nearer to the small, colorful, stand a figure behind it suddenly waved in their direction. Judy waved back energetically and whoever it was started trotting their way.

Judy squinted. "Is that Jackie?" she asked a few seconds later, "Yup, that's Jax alright. What's she doing here?"

Nick watched said Jackie approach with growing amazement. If Judy had not been walking with him and holding his arm, he would have thought it was Judy herself coming towards them.

Jackie trotted up, dressed in a tight-fitting green sleeveless t-shirt and faded blue jean shorts like the kind Judy had on. Judy let go of Nick's arm, shrugged out of the makeshift backpack she had made out of the travel bag, and went to meet her sister as she drew close.

Judy and Jackie collided in an enthusiastic hug. "Jax!" Judy said as they broke apart, holding each other by the arms, "What're you doing here?"

Jackie laughed. "Why do you think? To see you and this fox of yours!" she said and gave a look over to Nick.

Nick stared in mute fascination. Judy and Jackie were not identical, but they were not far off from being so. Jackie was just slightly taller than Judy, grey fur mixed with a lot of tan, and her eyes were that piercing green instead of Judy's violet, but outside of those features they almost looked like mirror copies of each other. The same face, the same sporty black tipped ears, the same lithe bodies.

Judy walked back with her sister, smiling hugely. "Jackie, this is Nick Wilde," she said with a gesture, "Nick, this is my sister Jackie, we're littermates."

Jackie held out a paw, not a trace of fear or wariness. "Nice to meet you, Nick. I've not heard much about you, but what I have from Jude has been good."

 _Even their voices sound almost the same,_ Nick thought. "All lies and slander, I'm sure," Nick said, causing Judy to roll her eyes and Jackie's to laugh. He shook using only two fingers and thumb as he often did to accommodate those with smaller paws. _Quite the grip she has there too,_ Nick mused. "You'll forgive me if I can't help commenting on how much you two look alike."

Both Judy and Jackie laughed, again almost sounding identical.

"Like we've not heard that before," Judy said.

Jackie was looking at Nick strangely as paws parted, her expression shifting rapidly as she tried to hold something back.

"Tha..." Jackie started to say then swallowed, looking down briefly, obviously trying very hard not to laugh as she tilted her head back up, "that's a very nice hat."

Nick looked up at the floppy brim. "You like it?" he said and then jerked his head at Judy, "It's her fault."

Jackie, big grin still on her face, turned to Judy and her eyes shifted down, widening. "Ooo, what's that?" she said and stepped closer to Judy, ducking her head down to peer at the choker around Judy's neck.

Judy's raised a paw to her neck in reflex. "Oh, um, Nick got it for me," she said, feeling bashful as she tilted her head up to show off polished stone carrot.

Jackie peered closer. "Mmm, looks expensive, " she said distractedly.

Judy blinked and looked at Nick, a question in her eyes.

Nick winked. "A gentlemammal never tells," he said and hopped they would drop that line of inquiry. The choker had not been too expensive, but it had not exactly been cheap either, costing the better part of four hundred dollars. It wasn't something he particularly wanted Judy to find out, he could just see her reaction to him having spent that much money on her.

Jackie turned her head and gave Nick an appraising look as she stood back up.

 _She knows_ , Nick thought, _she knows that isn't some cheap trinket._

"Well," Jackie said, looking back to Judy, "It looks really good on you."

"I know!" Judy said, fingers feeling up around the carved gemstone as she gave Nick an adoring look, "I love it!"

Pride and pleasure swelled in Nick, but he remained quiet. He got a quick glance from Jackie that seemed to say 'good job,' and left him feeling he passed some test or at least met some criteria of acceptance.

Judy grinned and gestured, fingers still feeling the choker as she turned. "Come on, Mom and Dad should be here in a few."

Nick stood there for a moment as Judy and Jackie started to walk back to the stand. He blinked and snatched up the travel bag, hurrying after to take up position behind them.

"Is Bill with you?" Judy asked her sister.

Jackie shook her head. "Nope, he's home with the kits. He might stop by tomorrow when they're in school, though."

Judy nodded. "Makes sense," she said, but Nick could hear something in Judy's voice he could not place.

Nick idly wondered if this Bill was the Billy from Judy's past. It made a certain perverse sense. _He couldn't have Judy so we went for the nearly identical sister?_ _That has got to be awkward,_ he thought.

"So what's this with Mom going nuts yesterday?" Jackie asked, "I heard about some of it but mostly just rumor."

"Ugh," Judy said and rolled her eyes up, "Nuts fits the description. She not only called my boss, but to get his number she called the Mayor's office and badgered someone there into giving her the Chief's direct line."

Jackie let out a slow whistle. "Okay, I think that takes top spot on Mom's Best Freakouts," she said.

"You have no idea the trouble she caused," Judy growled, "Why do you think we're even here? Dropping by to introduce Nick to Mom and Dad hardly a day after we started dating was not my idea."

Jackie's ears cocked. "I figured it was Mom's doing?" she said, "that or just wanting to get out of the city after, you know, everything,"

Judy waved a paw, some of the irritation boiling up. "It WAS Mom's doing, kind of," Judy explained. She told Jackie about how Mom had browbeaten Bogo through multiple calls while her and Nick had been napping, about McHorn and Delgato showing up looking for her, and the final shout-filled conversation with Mom and Dad on the phone.

Jackie had her paws over her muzzle. "I can't believe she said that!" Jackie giggled, referring to the 'not having a threesome' comment.

Judy could not help but laugh some herself. "That makes two of us," she said, "You should have seen the look Dad gave her."

Jackie grinned hugely, "Oh, I can imagine," she said.

Judy puffed her cheeks out in a sigh. "But, I'm lucky I didn't get fired!" she said, "I'm used to them being overprotective but that really took the whole bushel of carrots."

Jackie snorted. "Right, fire the hero of Zootopia, like that would have happened," she said.

Judy hummed and nodded. "I guess you have a point there," she said, "and the Chief is actually a big softy once you get past the shouty exterior."

"He's that big buffalo guy, right?" Jackie asked, looking thoughtful.

Judy nodded and peered at her sister, seeing that look. "Not you too," she said in exasperation. _Just what have we done,_ she wondered.

Jackie blinked. "Not me too, what?" she asked in confusion.

Judy told Jackie how her and Nick were thinking they had started some kind of trend. She also mentioned the few comments and reactions from other female rabbits from Beth on the train to Katherine's more unambiguous comments and behavior. Granted the Chief wasn't a predator, but it was easy forget that if you bore the brunt of one of his stares or tirades. Plus she knew for a fact that he drew a lot of female eyes of all types.

"Besides, you're both married," Judy finished.

Jackie stuck her tongue out. "A doe can fantasize," she said.

"Jackie," Judy said as if trying to explain to a child, "He's enormous."

Jackie smiled and hummed, looking thoughtful again. "I bet he is…"

Nick's ears had slowly started to perk up, and he had to force them back down, paw snapping up to catch the hat before it got dislodged from his head again. He was not a prude, well, not much of one, but so far Judy's family seemed to have a very relaxed attitude towards sex. It was a contrast given how Judy generally acted. _Then again,_ he thought, _once she gets past that inexperience induced shyness of hers she isn't the least bit prudish_. He shivered, she had run him pretty ragged the other night. For all Judy's admitted lack of first hand knowledge she had still taught _HIM_ a few things, and he was nearly a decade older!

Judy giggled and put a paw over her muzzle. "Oh MY gods Jackie, how were we raised in the same burrow?"

 _What have I gotten myself into?_ Nick idly asked himself, and not for the first time. He wasn't really worried, that was not the right word. It was more of a hopeful/worried combo. He guessed he really should not be surprised, but up until meeting Judy his interactions with rabbits had been few and far between… for obvious reasons.

Jackie waved a paw at Judy. "Jude, while you were being all miss serious 'I R gonna be police rabbit' the rest of us were out having fun."

Judy rolled her eyes, "Oh whatever," she said.

Jackie grinned but then sucked in some air between her big front teeth. "But hate to break it to you, Sis, you definitely shook a few things loose around here."

A strained sound of frustration issued from Judy's throat. "Wonderful," she grumbled.

Jackie grinned and looked back at Nick. She winked at him while saying, "It's a good thing, if you ask me."

Nick wasn't sure how to respond to that but Jackie turned away before he could formulate any kind of response. _This is going to be an interesting visit,_ he decided.

"A few were even making eyes at Gideon Grey yesterday," Jackie added helpfully, "I've never seen anyone so flustered in all my life."

"Why am I not surprised," Judy said in a resigned tone then perked, making a face, "Gideon? Really? But… but he's so… dumpy! And pudgy!"

Jackie waved a paw. "Some girls like that, " she said, "some of the guys too, for that matter."

Judy rolled her eyes, having a pretty good idea of who that latter group would be. You didn't have that many siblings without some of them being gay. Most of the males tended to be the subdued 'Buck's Buck' type, but a few were outrageously flamboyant.

"Jackie, all I did was kiss someone in a parking lot!" she said, throwing her arms up.

Jackie gave an exaggerated shrug. "Don't look at me!" she said.

As they started to draw close to the stand Judy nodded her head in the direction of the small group standing there, apparently waiting.

"More rubber neckers?" Judy asked with a sigh.

"Yup!" Jackie said, grinning, "if there is one thing you've done it's drive up business out of sheer curiosity. We've had to bring in extra produce to keep things stocked today and yesterday."

Judy hummed. "Dad said as much when I talked to them," she said, "So I guess they were not exaggerating about the whole town knowing?"

Jackie rocked her head back and forth. "Yeah, 'fraid so," Jackie said apologetically. "The headline on the Beacon this morning was," she said then leaned over, looking right at Judy, " and I kid you not, 'HOPPS' PRODIGAL DAUGHTER DATING FOX!' with that picture of you two kissing."

Nick winced. _Oh great,_ he thought.

Judy closed her eyes and raised her paws up. "Why is everybody so fascinated with me dating a fox!?" she cried in exasperation, "It's not like there's not other predator-prey relationships!"

Jackie gave Judy a questioning look. "Are you serious? You two pretty much saved Zootopia from tearing itself apart singled pawed, are the two first of our respective species to not only make it through the academy, but did it with top honors. You're still hot fuzz, Jude, especially around here. You've been the most interesting thing to happen to Bunnyburrow in decades. Did Mom and Dad tell you there's a vote up at town council for a _Judy Hopps Day_?"

Nick raised his eyebrows and watched Judy's reaction, predicting her response.

"You have got be kidding me," Judy groaned and pulled on her ears.

 _Bingo!_ Nick thought smugly.

Judy let her ears go and looked to Jackie, "Was it Mom or Dad's doing?"

Jackie shook her head, "Nope, they're against it, they knew you wouldn't like it."

Judy sighed. _Well, that's some small comfort, I guess,_ she thought. She lifted her arms again and let them drop, shaking her head in bewilderment. _Judy Hopps Day. Are they going to start selling little plastic statues of me and t-shirts with my face on them next?_ The thought did not sit well with her. She had joined the ZPD to be an officer, to serve and protect, not be some kind of pseudo pop star.

Nick remained silent as he trailed the two, listening. He was curious about Judy's interaction with her sister, but something else drew his gaze downward to those two puffball tails bobbing above small... identical rears... His attention shifted.

"You talk to them today?" Judy asked Jackie.

Jackie nodded. "Yeah, we had breakfast out in front this morning."

"How were they?" Judy asked in a hesitant voice and slight grimace. "I don't think it's because Nick's a fox," she said with a little backward glance and smile for Nick but caught him ogling both her and her sister's rumps.

"Eyes up here, Wilde," Judy said archly.

Nick jerked his head up, eyes darting back and forth between Judy and Jackie. They had been chatting about how Judy's Mom and Dad had been acting, or something, but he had stopped listening when he had become... distracted. He grinned sheepishly, a slow mild panic rising as he saw the look Judy was giving him.

Jackie looked back too. "What?" she asked.

"He was staring at our butts," Judy said casually, the sharp look she had been giving Nick softened, and she turned her head back. _I guess I can't blame him... too much_ , she thought and gave Nick another backward glance with a knowing smile. _Huh,_ she thought, _the thought of Katherine giving him the eye made me murderous, but him eyeing Jackie hardly bothers me at all?_ She had to wonder what that meant. Did it mean she was just worried about someone trying something, but confident enough that she was okay with Nick having a wandering eye? Another thing to ponder.

"Males," Jackie said in the amused tone that said all a female needed to say about the opposite sex regardless of the species.

Nick relaxed when Judy didn't seem to actually be upset, and winked at her. He pursed his lips and sent a kiss in her direction, making her smile widen as she looked back forward. _Whew_ , he thought, _dodged that one_.

Judy seemed to be in a much better mood now, the station forgotten, which Nick was glad for. The stress of the past days had started to show from time to time on both of them. He had seen Judy's normally stolid front crack more than once since Friday night, and knew that it took a lot to get her to that point. Perhaps coming here for a quiet day or two would turn out to be the best thing. _Assuming we are not constantly having to battle a curious mob of family members and townsfolk,_ he thought. _Or amorous sisters.. and apparently brothers._ His mind helpfully started to dredge up all the old jokes about rabbits and sex. This might be a good trip for Judy, but the feeling that he was over his head was slowly building.

 _Take it easy Wilde,_ he told himself and continued to follow along, perfectly okay with letting the two sisters talk. Judy's interactions with her siblings thus far had been fascinating, and he could not complain about the view either, unable to stop his eyes drifting down from time to time.

Nick had never had a brother or sister and found he was feeling quite a bit of envy. Finnick was kind of like a brother, he guessed. _Or had been_ , he thought sadly, _I really need to try and mend that bridge soon too, but what must it be like to grow up with so many family members around you?_ Given the product of such an upbringing was walking right in front of him he guessed it must be pretty good. The thought held a tinge of sadness. What would his life have been like if he had grown up out here in this bucolic setting? He probably would not have started baking pies, but he doubted he would have ended up like he had.

"Anyway," Judy continued, "I think Mom's more worried that some city slicker is taking advantage of me. After everything, Mom still doesn't think I can take care of myself when I'm in Zootopia."

Jackie pursed her lips for a moment, apparently thinking. "Dad is fine," she said, "he's gotten really chummy with Gideon Grey, so his whole view on foxes has mellowed a lot, but Mom… she was kind of tight lipped about it all, but you know how she is about her kits." Jackie hummed for a second. "If I had to rank the things Mom is worried about I would put Mom being Mom number one and Nick being a fox distant second, if I'm reading her right." She reached up and scratched the side of her muzzle. "Honestly, I think it's really more about the City than anything else for the both of them. You know how they get, Dad frets and Mom just kind of gets all quiet and grumpy."

 _Being a fox is a distant second? I think that's a first,_ Nick thought hopefully. That actually made him feel marginally better. If ol' Mom wasn't really that worried about him being a fox or a predator, then this might just go okay. He just had to put on the right amount of foxy charm. He felt he sure was up to that challenge. Well, reasonably sure, anyway.

"I know," Judy said, her thoughts going along similar lines. It was probably the one saving grace about the entire fracas. If Mom was more worried about her preconceived notions about the city residents than she was about Nick being a predator or a fox, then she could probably deal with that easily enough. "I think Dad has come around but Mom still thinks that Zootopia is filled with sharp-toothed villains putting damsels on train tracks."

Jackie snorted a laugh. "Sounds about right."

They had just reached the shade of a large tree that stood nearby the small stand when one of Judy's ears cocked backward and she half turned.

"Speaking of which, here they come," Judy said. She balled her paws up, tensing. She coarsely cleared her throat, trying to steel herself for the moment they'd been anticipating.

Nick's building confidence suddenly deserted him in an instant. He followed Judy's gaze to see the old rabbit sized pickup truck coming down the road, still a way in the distance. He was suddenly tugged by a paw and stumbled forward.

"Come on, come on!" Judy said hurriedly as she half dragged Nick to the side of the stand, her own cool suddenly abandoning her as well.

"Relax, Jude!" Jackie called, laughing as she walked up at a more sedate pace.

Nick stumbled to a halt next to the Hopps stand, the small group of rabbits that had been milling around the front suddenly seemed to shrink as they all grouped closer together, all eyes on him.

"Put those down!" Judy said, waving a paw at the bag and guitar case. She snatched the empty water bottle from Nick's unprotesting paw and tossed it, along with her own empty bottle, into a small bin under the stand's counter.

Nick blinked and did as he was told. He set the bag down and propped the guitar against the side of the stand. He gave the group what he thought was a winning smile, and it was, however, when the entire group took a step back near unison he realized it was a winning smile with lots of teeth. He clapped a paw over his muzzle as Judy put her paws on his sides to turn him towards her.

"Sorry!" Nick said behind his paw. _Seriously_ , he groused to himself, _I don't have to watch my smile like this in the City._

"What?" Judy said, distractedly looking up at Nick, then over to the now murmuring onlookers. "Oh, ignore them," she said and made shooing motions with her paws at the group, "All of you go away, or shush! Or something!"

This drew a few chuckles from several, but they seemed content to just watch for now.

 _Here for the fireworks, are they?_ Nick mused as Judy turned her attention back to him, looking up and down.

"Take off the hat and those sunglasses," Judy commanded.

"Yes ma'am," Nick said, he wasn't about to argue with Judy in this state. He whipped the hat off, tossing it down on top of the travel bag. He began to take the sunglasses off when Judy stopped him with raised paw.

"No," she said, "I changed my mind, leave those on. Makes you look... I don't know, more official."

Nick sighed and perched the aviators back on his muzzle. "More official?" he asked.

Judy waved her paws and reached forward to grab the hem of Nick's t-shirt. "Don't argue with me," she said. Nick held his paws up in surrender as she tugged the shirt down. She looked him up and down again then reached up to brush some of her own fur off his chest before smoothing the fabric down. She examined Nick's face, Nick staring back at her with one ear cocked and a raised eyebrow. There was a patch of fur on the top of his muzzle, though...

"Lean down," Judy said, beckoning with a crooked finger.

Nick gave a little sigh but leaned over.

Judy licked a thumb and smoothed down the offending spot of fur, then ran her fingers back through the ruff of fur on each fuzzy cheek. She held him firmly for a moment, turning his head left, then right, peering at his nose to make sure there was no blood to be seen.

"Seriously?" Nick mumbled, his face half smooshed together as Judy held him. He felt like a child getting ready to have his school pictures taken.

"Shush," Judy said, and let Nick go with a huff after patting and smoothing out the fur on his cheeks. "Okay, that looks alright." She turned around and stood next to Nick, putting a paw on his back and gave him a little push to start him walking, the pickup truck just having pulled up under the shade of the tree. She debated if she should smile or not. _Hi, mom! Hi, dad!_ she thought as she ran the potential scenario through her mind, but no, after the circus caused by Mom yesterday she decided to play it cool.

"Best behavior," she hissed out of the side of her muzzle.

"I know! I know!" Nick hissed back as he let himself be guided forward, watching as Stu and Bonnie Hopps got out of the diminutive pickup truck.

Judy stopped them about halfway to watch as her Mom moved around the truck to join up with her Dad and start towards them. _Relax, relax, relax!_ she told herself, y _ou're an adult, and a cop for crying out loud!_

She thought she had been ready for this, so full of righteous indignation at the interference into her personal life, but all the things she had planned to do and to say fled her mind.

The Hopps were dressed like they usually were. Bonnie in light colored shorts with a blue pastel checkered vest shirt, and Stu in work overalls, plaid yellow and white short sleeve shirt, and his ever-present green ballcap with the carrot logo on it. They stopped as they drew close. Bonnie's eyebrows were slightly raised as she gave Nick a look over, her expression icy and slightly disapproving while Stu tried to smile, looking like he wanted to say something. A quick glance over at Bonnie, then to Judy stymied him.

Despite her previous plan, a worried, forced, and still somehow desperately hopeful grin appeared on her muzzle.

Nick swallowed and kept a pleasant smile, careful of the teeth, on his muzzle as the silence stretched out.

Judy finally rallied and took a breath and cleared her throat.

"Mom, Dad," she said, keeping her eyes mostly on her mother, who was still skewering Nick with that look, "I would like you to meet Nick Wilde." She gave Nick a light push in the small of his back. "My partner and _boyfriend_ ," she said, putting particular emphasis on the word 'boyfriend.'

Nick let himself be moved forward. _Okay,_ he thought, _show time._ He took another step and offered his paw to Stu. "Pleased to meet you, sir," he said.

Judy watched her somewhat befuddled father as he looked at Nick's offered paw.

"Oh!" Stu said finally. He took Nick's paw in both of his smaller ones and started to shake enthusiastically, "Right! Yup! Good to meet you, Nick! Judy has told us nothing but good things about you, isn't that right Bon?"

Nick turned his head to look at Bonnie and Stu let his paw go as he moved to offer it to the doe.

Bonnie kept her eyes locked with Nick's, and after an agonizing pause, grasped the offered paw in a very light grip.

Nick, instead of shaking, turned Bonnie's paw and bent down to lightly kiss the back of it.

"A pleasure, Missus Hopps," Nick said, "I certainly see where Judy gets her stunning looks."

Judy let her head fall forward, putting a paw on her forehead with a groan.

Nick's ears cocked back at the groan, smile freezing on his muzzle as he watched one of Bonnie's eyebrows slowly arch up. Nick reached up with his other paw and raised his sunglasses so he could look at Bonnie directly.

"That didn't work, did it?" he asked.

"No, Mister Wilde," Bonnie said, "It did not."

* * *

 **Authors Note:**

Shipping Mammals wakes up and looks down, picking up the folded card perched on his chest. On the card the words 'I Aint ded' are scrawled.

Sorry about the - re-post there, deleted the "Authors Ramblings" thing after publishing it and that screwed up the links when I removed and renamed the chapter.

Several folks had messaged me afraid I had shut the story down or some such. Well, obviously that should be all clarified now! Trust me, if I decide to throw it in I'll let folks know. If I vanish for a good long while then I really am ded or imprisoned, which ever comes first. ;)

Hopefully I'm still maintaining. Editors liked the chapter, but I'm always very uncertain when I release as I lack objectivity.

Big thanks to my Editors, Mordecool1039, LuciusFleet, Gotriss Nholf and Athensdamanes. Mord and Lucius, especially, were instrumental in helping me shape some key parts of the story where I was doing too much "I R Serious Nick!"- not to mention all the general things you find in edit (Except for Mordecool1039s story Smooth Operator, which I 'edit'... hardly a problem to be found! Don't know how he does it...)

Another story bit swiped from Weaver as I'm sure many have noted. Carrot Pop is too funny an idea not to use and we've not seen the last of that.

Apologies for how long this took, wanted to get this out a couple days ago but ran into last minute edits. In general life just isn't being very accommodating for time to write, but as the saying goes: I see a light at the end of the tunnel. And... it's actually the... exit, not another train. Another month or so and my time should free back up for more frequent updates again.

Also, if you're so inclined, scoot over to Reddit /r/zootopia and upvote the story in the current stickied FanFic thread. I have to sustain myself with delicious ego-inflating upvotes ;)

I once again amaze myself at my ability to write nearly 17k and cover less than an hour of time in world, but a lot of scene settings and what not. I'll likely do some time skipping next chapter, there's a few places I can sum up what went in in a few paragraphs and doesn't add much to the story. I did a little bit of that here as the chapter is a heavy Nick and Judy talking. What I find myself having to do is neither of them has a lot of information on the others past... so I either write it out as it would possibly happen (Like I have been doing) or just gloss over and sum up certain things for the sake of brevity. I obviously tend to the former most of the time.


	15. Chapter 15 - A Half Truth is a Whole Lie

**Foreword from the Author:**

A couple of quick things here I need to address:

1\. Continuity error! Continuity error! - Somewhere I got my times mixed up and lost a day. Originally I had the concert set on Thursday (Why I thought a Thursday was a good night I don't recall, but I do remember I had a reason at the time.) Somewhere along the way, I thought it was a day later. It should actually be Saturday and not Sunday - I have since gone back and fixed that so the concert was Friday, and things line up again. If you're a relatively new reader you will not have noticed as I silently fixed this problem a few weeks ago.

2\. I know it's been a long time since an update, work and life have just been very busy and not leaving me as much time as I had when I started this. Thankfully I will be back to having more time again here starting Sept 1. I made mention of this previously but still I have a ton of messages asking if I quit/did I give up etc.. To re-iterate: If I ever did decide to just up and quit I would at the least say so and not leave people hanging. I have no intention of not finishing this story, but there may be times where weeks may pass before getting chapters out. In an effort to keep folks more informed check me out on Twitter ShippingMammals

* * *

"Right," Nick said slowly, staring back at Bonnie, her purple eyes still locked on his.

 _What do I say, what do I say!?_ Nick thought, his mind racing in fruitless circles. After all the years he had spent on the streets schmoozing, hustling and scamming everyone and anyone, he could not think of a single thing to say or do. He started to realize that, right now, this plump, diminutive rabbit scared him more than anything else imaginable. The only thing that came close was when he and Judy were nearly iced by Mister Big, but as strange as it seemed, even that paled in comparison with this situation. He certainly had been worried about meeting Judy's parents, but now that he was here face to face... He had heard the saying 'paralyzed with fear' and suspected this is what it felt like.

Time stretched out into awkwardness; Nick still hadn't released Bonnie's small paw.

As Bonnie's other eyebrow slowly began to rise, a trapped gear in Nick's head finally dislodged and began to drive his mouth into action.

"Right," Nick said again and released Bonnie's paw as he stood back to his full height and clasped his paws together in front of him. "Look, Missus Hopps... B-Bonnie... Mom," he said, voice nervous at first, but strengthening as he automatically slid back into the safety of his con artist persona, "can I call you Mom?"

Bonnie's paws went to her hips and her gaze up at him began to turn into a glare. She opened her mouth to speak.

"No, no, no!" Judy said suddenly. She recognized that tone from Nick, and it was exactly the one not to use with her mother. She stepped forward and placed her paws on Nick's hips, forcefully turning him towards her father.

Judy's strength caught Nick off guard, making him tilt perilously on one foot as he was roughly handled by the small, but deceptively strong, rabbit. He teetered, arms going out to balance himself.

"You two! Talk!" Judy said and gave Nick a little push towards Stu; she figured her father was a safe bet for now. She moved to her mother and grabbed her arm, starting to drag her away. "Mom, a word please!" she said, using a strained tone of voice reminiscent of the one she used to call out "move along now, nothing to see here."

Bonnie nearly stumbled as Judy began pulling her away and around the small pickup truck. "Judy!" she squawked, "Honestly!"

Nick and Stu both watched as Judy dragged Bonnie around the pickup truck, the two breaking out out in hushed whispers out of sight. They could just hear what was being said if they perked their ears as the two drew further away. Nick winced, and Stu grimaced at something that was said.

"Oh boy," they both said at the same time.

Normally that would have been amusing, but Nick wasn't in the mood to be amused. He had to consciously keep his arms down because his paws desperately wanted to reach up and start pulling on his ears. This was, in Nick's estimation, not good. Not good at all. In fact, it seemed balancing perilously on the edge of unmitigated disaster. It has been going so well too, but they had been in the presence of Judy's parents for less than a minute and already arguing had started. About him. He badly wanted this to go smoothly, to show Judy's parents that he was actually worthy, even if he was a fox. It wasn't as if he and Judy needed her parents' approval - he knew Judy well enough to know that she wouldn't let her parents dictate what she could and could not do - but he would much rather everybody be on good terms. He knew all too well about estranged family.

His mind drifted, idly wondering what his own mother would have said about him dating a rabbit. The thought caused a stab of pain in his chest. _I think she would have liked Judy._ Nick suppressed the thought and turned his attention to Judy's dad. Stu, at least, seemed to be dealing well enough. His expression showed a kind of resigned uneasiness.

Nick had to stop himself from grabbing his ears again as Bonnie was quite clearly heard saying in a raised voice, "It is too my business!"

"Do you think we should, I dunno, do something?" Nick asked absently as he watched arms and paws gesture, fingers point, and eyes narrow, sometimes in his direction.

Stu slowly hooked his thumbs into the straps of his overalls, "A smart buck knows when to keep his nose out of doe's business, and if this isn't one of those times, I'll eat my hat."

Nick grunted noncommittally.

" _-your fox! You said he drove an ice cream truck!"_ Nick heard Bonnie say. The intense desire to start pulling on his ears, the fur on his cheeks or the loose skin back along the scruff of his neck would do in a pinch too, was nearly overwhelming, but somehow he managed to keep himself from doing any of that. _I knew that was going to come back to bite us!_ he thought. He had to stop himself from visibly wincing when Bonnie turned her pointed gaze his way. He had seen that same look from Judy, and it wasn't one any mammal wanted directed at them. It was very much like when the Chief focused his full attention on you. He nearly broke out into a giggle at the thought of that look from Judy having the same impact on him that Chief's did when she was a fraction of his size.

"I, er, see where Judy gets her... Judy-ness," he said.

Stu snorted out a little laugh, seemingly amused despite it all. "Son, you have no idea," he said and almost seemed proud, "She is her mother's daughter, no question."

Nick blinked at the use 'son' and relaxed, if just a smidge. Stu seemed, well, an alright kind of fellow from what little he knew and seen of him so far between what Judy had said of him, the phone call yesterday, and the downright polite greeting just now. He found it a bit ironic that it was the mother taking such issue with the daughter's choice of love interest and not more the father. It was _almost_ disappointing. He could have dealt with this, male to male, as it were. Each sizing the other up regardless of species. Wasn't that how the old cliche was supposed to go? The irate, overprotective father giving his daughter's stoic, but determined, boyfriend the evil eye. Finger-wagging a warning about being home before ten _or else._ Plus, hadn't Judy also told him once about the bag of FoxAway products that Stu had tried to get her to take to the city with her? Yet it was Judy's mom who had been the voice of reason then. Not now, apparently. An angry, protective mother wasn't something any male wanted to deal with. Mothers got just as, if not more so depending on the circumstances, protective… and for some reason much more frightening. He guessed he needed to thank this pie-making Gideon for mellowing out Stu's view on foxes. _If only it had rubbed off as much on Bonnie,_ he thought.

Nick then recalled the phone conversation with Bogo from yesterday morning and gave Stu another sidelong glance.

"You guys, uh, didn't really think I ate or savaged her, did you?" Nick asked tentatively, paw coming up to rub the back of his neck, unable to help or stop himself from grabbing at his scruff. It seemed a ridiculous idea, at least to someone who had grown up in the city. Perhaps there had been incidents like that out in these rural areas and he simply didn't know about? No, he had asked Judy pretty much that very question back at the train station, but... possibly incidents further back she didn't know about either? He tried to remember what little he still retained from those history classes when he had still been in school, and the studying he had done for his GED, but all he could recall was the general idea that predators used to eat prey long ago when everybody was still running around half naked and throwing spears at each other.

Stu didn't look at Nick; he just kept watching the argument on the other side of the pickup truck. He did finally begin to answer after a few seconds, slowly turning his head. He seemed to have to force his eyes away from Judy and Bonnie. "Hmm? Oh, um," he said, looking up at Nick, somewhat abashed, "Not really, I suppose. Although if you believe my dad you'd think rabbits and foxes have been at war for generations." Stu smiled then, "But when was the last time you heard of someone actually going savage and eating someone?"

Nick arched one eyebrow and lifted a finger to mention the missing mammal's case.

"Outside of, you know," Stu said, pulling his suspenders out and wiggling the fingers of one paw as he turned his attention back to the two arguing females, "all that... uh, mess and you and Jude got into."

 _Mess we got into,_ Nick thought with a silent mental snort as he remembered dangling over a pit of icy water, the mad chase from Manchas, and the horror movie-esque visit to Cliffside with its equally terrifying escape. His mouth then decided to help out again and added, "There was the Butcher of Outback island." Nick closed his eyes and dragged a paw down over them. _Gods,_ _why did I mention that,_ he groaned inwardly.

Stu blinked and looked down, his brow furrowing. "That's right... they never did catch..." he said, voice drifting off.

 _Well, that was just brilliant, Wilde,_ Nick derided himself, _why don't you find something else to make Judy's parents worried about?_

Fate seemed to intervene just then and take pity on him. Judy and Bonnie had stopped their not so-quiet argument and were coming back around the pickup truck, both seeming somewhat subdued.

"And would you look at that!" Nick said quickly, forcing a grin on his muzzle, forgetting to keep his teeth out of view. He gestured, putting his other paw on a hip, "Here they come!"

* * *

"Judy! Oh, honestly!" Bonnie protested as Judy dragged her off.

Bonnie tugged her arm out of Judy's grasp. "I can walk myself, thank you very much," she snapped as they made their way around the truck.

Judy looked back at her Dad and Nick standing there. Nick looked like he was about to panic and Dad seemed resigned, if anything. She spun when they were both shielded by the cab of the truck. Both Nick and her father would be able to hear what they said if they tried, the driver side window was down but the passenger side was only halfway. Not ideal, but it would baffle the sound somewhat. The only other option for some privacy, given how good lapine hearing was, would be to just walk further away, and that would be a long walk. The truck would have to do, and her dad and Nick would at least have to make a bit of effort as long as she kept it down.

"I swear, Mom," Judy said and reached up to whip her sun hat off, "If you don't lay off Nick we'll march right back down to the station and hop the next train back to Zootopia! What is your problem? I would have expected this kind of thing from Dad, but not you!"

"Oh Judy," Bonnie said, putting her paws on her hips, "Calm down!"

Judy snorted and said, "Calm down!? Are you serious? You call Mayor's office _and_ my boss claiming that my new partner may have _eaten or savaged_ me! Nick is terrified enough of you two as it is so just lay off!"

Bonnie huffed. "Oh, please. He's not terrified of us," she said with a dismissive wave.

Judy motioned to Nick with the hat in her paw. "Look at him!"

Bonnie did look and had to admit that wide eyed, splayed ear expression could fit the definition of 'terrified.' She grunted with derision. _A fox, scared of me and Stu?_ She turned her attention back and narrowed her eyes as she focused on Judy's neck. "And since when did you start wearing jewelry?"

"What?" Judy said and blinked, the abrupt switch throwing her off. A paw moved automatically to her neck, fingers feeling the little gemstone carrot. "Um, Nick got it for me... yesterday," she said then collected herself, becoming more irritated, "Not that this any of your business!"

"It is too my business!" Bonnie snapped, a bit too loudly, then lowered her voice, "A mother has the right to inquire into the welfare of her daughter!" She looked at the choker again, "It looks expensive. You sure he actually bought it?"

Judy's eyes went wide, the tone in her mother's voice carrying the implication Nick may have stolen it. She spared a glance at Nick, hoping to heck and back he had not heard that particularly specist thing come out of her mother's muzzle. "Oh my Gods, Mom! Be a little more specist, why don't you!" she hissed.

"Your uncle-" Bonnie started, but Judy didn't let her continue.

"Thinks that aliens run the government and are abducting mammals for nefarious experiments! Which has exactly nothing to do with... with what just came out of your mouth!"

"But your Uncle does seem to know your fox! You said he drove an ice cream truck!"

Judy's mouth, open and poised to counter, snapped shut. She let her arms drop and pulled her head back, suddenly suspicious. This was not something that came up on the phone call yesterday. Just what _had_ her Uncle told them? She thought it had all been about the picture and them thinking she was still naive in the ways of love in the big city, and that Nick was some kind of pervy fox out to bed her. Well, she was certain that was also part of it, but if they had found out about Nick's past...

"What did Uncle Benny tell you?" she asked warily.

"That HE, " Bonnie said pointing and giving Nick a quick glare, "didn't drive any ice cream truck! He said Nick, and he called him by name I might add, is a known criminal, a con-artist, and works for the mob!" Bonnie schooled her expression and calmed her tone. "Now, we all know your father's brother is… eccentric, so we weren't sure how much credence to give him, but he was very convincing and more coherent that he usually is. I wanted to see if you would tell us on your own yesterday, but you didn't. Now that you're here and can't avoid it, I want to know! Was your uncle right? Are you dating some kind of criminal fox?"

Judy groaned. Now the bizarre texts and phone conversation from yesterday afternoon made a lot more sense. Her mother had been fishing in an effort to get her to somehow fess up about Nick. It also explained their over the top reaction when they found out Nick had been sitting right there listening to the call. She was willing to bet that if Nick had not been there, or at least remained silent, her mother would have eventually brought it up, but after they found out he was sitting right there the conversation came to a close pretty quickly. _Explains those worried looks they gave each other before hanging up too,_ she thought.

She also wondered if they had gotten details out of the Chief. She didn't think Bogo knew that much about Nick's past, and couldn't see him offering up any information to a civilian regardless, but it was possible. Her mother could be a force of nature to deal with under the right circumstances. Also, Nick had never been arrested. He was a 'mammal of interest' and 'known associate' listed on a few other rap sheets, mostly Finnick's, but the ZPD had never really investigated him.

Judy herself wouldn't have admitted anything either without the subject being brought up directly. At the time she had no reason to think they had found out. She had just thought her uncle had told them about the newspaper and they had freaked out about that.

It grated on her. It put that entire conversation into a different light. Had it just been some kind of dumb test to see if she would admit to it on her own or what?

 _This is what I get for lying to them,_ she thought and now realized this entire huge mess was mostly her fault. If she had just been straight with them from the start… Well, perhaps not. She only found out the extent of Nick's questionable dealings today, but still, if she had been truthful about what she did know about Nick then perhaps this whole thing could have been avoided or, at least, not quite so dramatic.

Judy closed her eyes and took a breath, "Look, it's not like that... He's… I mean he didn't-"

Bonnie sucked in a breath, livid. "Judith Laverne Hopps! You _did_ lie to us!"

Judy grit her teeth. "Okay! Yes!" she hissed, "but it wasn't like what you are thinking! I knew how you guys would react! Like this! Badly! Look, he never hurt anyone, and he's not worked for the mob in years!"

Bonnie rolled her eyes and said in a voice dripping with sarcasm, "Oh, well that just makes everything alright then, doesn't it!? Assuming it's even true!"

Judy rubbed her forehead, feeling the headache from this morning threatening to return. "Mom, the ZPD doesn't hire felons-"

"So he's good at not being caught," Bonnie said with a sniff, "if that doesn't figure then I don't know what does."

"Mom!" Judy said, aghast "Stop being so specist! Would you say that about Gideon?"

"Gideon isn't a mobster!" Bonnie fired back.

Judy clenched her jaw. "It's still specist!" she growled, she was the one on the defensive now, and it felt like she was losing, "and he's not a mobster!"

Bonnie opened her muzzle to speak again, but Judy cut her off again.

"Look, Mom..." she said and inhaled deeply, trying to figure out what to say, "Yes, Nick's past is a bit... questionable. I'll admit that much, but it doesn't make him bad! You don't know him, you don't know what he's been through, I do!" She looked over at Nick for a moment, seeing some odd exchange going on between him and her Dad, and turned back. "He left all that behind when he joined the ZPD, and you're basing everything on the word of one crazy mammal and letting your prejudice get in the way! " she said, but was starting to run out of things to use in defense, mentally derailed by the revelation that they knew of Nick's past.

Judy supposed it figured that her crazy street-corner-proselytizing uncle would have had run-ins with Nick. Nick did say he knew everyone, and he had spent a lot of time working the street as well. In fact, now that she thought about it, she was somewhat surprised she had not seen her uncle herself in the time she had spent out on patrol.

She sighed. She had come prepared for this fight but now found her energy starting to suddenly abandon her. Even with the nap on the train she was still tired, the late night and slight hangover sapping her reserves. She wanted out of this argument. She may have come prepared, but she had not planned on her parents finding out about Nick's past. She needed time to regroup.

"Mom," Judy said tiredly, and thought about telling her about the money and Nick's sacrifice, but this was not the place to bring that up or if she even should even consider revealing that at all, "Can we not fight about this right now? Can you just give Nick a chance? Have a little faith in my judge of character, would you? Please?"

Bonnie hesitated for a moment before letting out a sigh with a softer glance over at Nick and Stu standing there.

Both Stu and Nick were looking back at them with concerned expressions, although it was more like near panic on Nick's face.

"Okay," Bonnie said, "Okay. But we're not done with this conversation, young lady. It's more than just about your fox."

"He's not my fox, Mom," Judy protested weakly, she had just called Nick that very thing back at the train station, but she wondered what else it could possibly be about.

Bonnie waved her off. "Later," she said, giving the group still over by the stand a look. "Let's not stand here making more of a scene than we already are," she said and started walking, "you can bet this will be all over town before nightfall."

Judy put her hat back on, tugging it down firmly as they walked back.

* * *

"And would you look at that!" Nick said, "Here they come!" He had a manic grin on his muzzle, teeth on full display. He was gesturing with one paw theatrically towards them while the other was propped on a hip.

Judy's eyes sought out Nick's then darted at her Dad who was looking worried about something as his gazed came up to see them. Judy looked back to Nick and made a quick motion to her own muzzle. _Teeth, teeth!_ she thought at him as hard as she could.

Nick caught the message and quickly relaxed the grin to cover his teeth. He was sure he still looked as trapped as he had felt before, eyes darting between Judy and her Mom.

"Oh, stop it, you two," Bonnie said with a huff, "as if we've never seen fangs before."

Nick's smile slowly crept back up, and he started to look even more cornered, eyebrows raising in a desperate plea for help as he looked at Judy.

Bonnie looked at Judy, eyebrow arched, then turned her full attention back to Nick. She walked right up to him, paws back on hips, and stared.

Judy tensed, taking a step forward. "Mom-" she began warningly.

"Mister Wilde," Bonnie said before Judy could say anything else, "What did you do before you joined the ZPD?"

Nick looked at Judy again with that helpless expression.

Judy shrugged and nodded her head.

Bonnie caught the exchange and made the universal 'ack!' noise mothers used to get the attention of children. "No looking over there for help, Mister Wilde."

Nick jerked his head back to Bonnie. That _noise,_ and that tired look on Judy's face, especially the way Judy looked, riled something in him. Not anger, exactly, but close. _I've about had enough of this_ , he thought. He pulled his sunglasses off and carefully folded them.

Judy saw Nick's expression change. She started to open her mouth but stopped when Nick raised a finger at her without even looking in her direction.

"No, Carrots, let me handle this."

Judy, not wanting to fight anymore, and especially not with Nick, raised her paws. "Okay, " she said in surrender, "All yours." The worst outcome, she supposed, would be that they would have to go home. _Giving mom and dad some time might not be so bad,_ she thought. Besides, she was curious to see what Nick would say. She also felt a little smug as she saw the now uncertain look on her mother's face.

Nick briefly turned his gaze from Bonnie to Stu, who now looked like he wanted to be elsewhere, then back. Stu wasn't his problem, Bonnie was, and now that he was thinking a bit more clearly he realized that Stu was one of those types who hated confrontation whereas Bonnie had no problem with it. _What a pair these two are, like two sides of a coin,_ he thought.

"What?" he said, looking back and forth between the two again, "What did you want me to say? You obviously know that whole ice cream truck thing was a lie." He slowly turned his head to look at Judy and said in a slightly raised voice, "which I only found out about today, and had nothing to do with I'll have you know."

Both Bonnie and Stu gave Judy a disappointed look.

Judy smiled sheepishly and raised her shoulders. "Sorry?" she said.

Bonnie clucked her tongue as Nick continued speaking, Stu letting his look of disapproval linger a bit longer before turning his head back.

"You really want to know what I did before I met Judy?" he said, "Okay, I'll tell you. I was a two bit street hustler. I scammed anyone and everyone for what I could. I bought, sold, transported stolen goods. I arranged things for various crime syndicates in the City. The list goes on."

Bonnie actually looked shocked, and not pleased, at the blunt, honest reply, but didn't seem to have anything say as Nick continued.

"Is that what you wanted to hear? Hmm?" he said, spreading his paws, "Have I lived up to your expectations of being a fox, yet?"

 _Wow_ , Judy thought, her concern slowly turning into something more like pride, _he isn't pulling any punches!_

Bonnie started to open her muzzle but Nick didn't give her chance to say anything.

"Now you want to know why?" he said, "Because I'm a second class citizen in most eyes. I learned from a very early age that doors I hadn't even known existed were closed to me. Not because of who I was, but because of what I was." He took a breath, rubbing a paw under his jaw and down his neck. "So I took the easy route, and gave them what they expected. A shifty, sly fox." He shrugged, "They wouldn't give me a job, they wouldn't give me a loan, but oh, they'll buy an expensive T.V. cheap from me no questions asked. They'll buy a two dollar pawpsicle off me that cost me almost nothing to make." He gave Judy a little wink at that, causing her to grin slightly in return. "But," he continued, "along came a feisty, fiery rabbit that showed me that I could be more than just a pawpsicle hustler. Much more. Heck, more than I ever could have imagined. I haven't looked back since."

Bonnie blinked, her expression seeming to soften. She looked at Stu with a questioning glance.

Stu gave a slight shrug of his shoulders and managed to give a palm up gesture while keeping his thumbs hooked in the straps of his suspenders. He looked back with an expression that could be charitably described as 'dumbfounded' that asked, 'Why are you looking at me?'

"Oh Stu," Bonnie said, waving a paw at her husband.

"Well, Bon," Stu said, surprisingly sounding a bit irritated, "What do you want _me_ to say? I told you we-"

"I don't remember you complaining yesterday!" Bonnie snapped, interrupting.

Judy, for her part, was at a loss. She had very rarely seen her parents get snippy with each other. She wondered if she should do or say something, but couldn't think of anything appropriate. She began to seriously think they should have pushed back more yesterday and refused to come. Consequences be damned. Just stay at home... stay at Nick's and snuggle up to watch movies, get take-out, talk, and... make love. Instead, it was this mad, stressful dash to Bunnyburrow only to deal with this.

Stu let go of his suspenders and started to shake a finger, "Now that's not fai-"

Nick had not intended to start up some family squabble and saw things threatening to get out of control. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, you two," he interrupted, stepping forward and holding his paws up. To his surprise, both Bonnie and Stu did stop and looked at him.

"Look, Mister and Missus Hopps," Nick said and rubbed a paw over his head and ears. He reigned in his emotions, calmed himself, and relaxed his posture. "I didn't come here to cause trouble, and I know Judy bringing a fox home was probably the last thing you expected or wanted. Finding out my previous profession was... um, less than upstanding, can't be what you were hoping for, either. If the positions were reversed I can't honestly say I would react much differently, but all I ask is you let me prove to you I'm the kind of mammal Judy says I am. If not for my sake, for hers." He looked over to Judy, who was watching with mix of pride and worry. "Because I can tell you that you raised one heck of a daughter."

He gave a laugh and shook his head, "She is... well, incredible," he said. He looked back to the two parents and shrugged, "I love her. I would never do anything to hurt her and, as her partner, both as an officer and otherwise, I will _always_ have her back." He raised two fingers in a scout's salute, "And for what little you may think it's worth, you've got my word on that."

Both Bonnie and Stu looked at Nick for a long, contemplative moment.

Bonnie then looked over at Judy, doing a double take at the shiny-eyed look she was giving Nick, then looked at Stu, who actually looked like he might be on the verge of tears himself.

Stu shrugged his shoulders. "Kind of hard to ask for better than that, Bon," he said softly.

Bonnie seemed ready to say something else but paused. She looked down to gather her thoughts, taking a deep breath before she looked back up.

"We will hold you to that, Mister Wilde," she said. The tension that had been hanging in the air began slowly draining away.

Despite that part of Nick still so sure it would all end in blood and fire, it hadn't turned out to be the end of the world. The torches, pitchforks, and angry lagomorphic mob had not materialized. _Not yet, anyway,_ Nick thought. _The day's still young_. Once they were back in Zootopia intact he would declare victory.

"I admit that we... that _I_ may have gone a bit overboard," Bonnie said and gave Judy a look of irritation tempered with fondness, "Which we may not have if a certain someone had been a bit more truthful with us from the start."

Judy winced, feeling she deserved that.

Bonnie sighed and waved a paw, "And this is Judy we're talking about. The best way to get her to do something is to tell her not to do it."

Judy rolled her eyes, rubbing a paw over her eyes.

Stu looked to Nick. "It's true! When she was what, fourteen? Fifteen?," he said, looking over Judy for a moment, smiling. "She got really mad at some kid at school for something, and was all ready to go start a fight, so I distracted her by asking her to dig out an old oak trunk in one of the north fields." His grin turned pleased and smug, "Then I pretended to change my mind and said not to because she was too small. She spent the whole weekend hacking at it!"

Judy's looked puzzled for a moment, paw pausing in rubbing one eye, the other going distant before widening. She remembered that stump. It had taken her forever to chop and dig the darn thing out. It had been a trick? And she was just now finding out about it?

"Dad!" she squeaked and looked at Nick, who was now grinning.

"What?" Stu said, "It kept you so busy that you forgot about whoever you were mad at, and i got that stump out! Everybody was a winner!"

Judy looked at her dad, having a hard time believing he didn't remember. "No, Dad, I didn't forget. And it wasn't just one kid, it was several kids. They had been bullying Sharla and said some very nasty things about her. I got suspended that Monday for beating them up."

Nick raised his eyebrows at that.

Stu blinked. "You did?" he said in unison with Nick.

"Oh Stu," Bonnie said in exasperation, "I swear sometimes I think you're going senile. Yes, she got suspended for two weeks, and we had to have that meeting with the principal. She broke that one boy's nose. How do you not remember that?"

Stu's eyes widened. "Oh! Right, right. That was then?"

"Yes, dear," Bonnie said patiently.

Judy just shook her head and looked back at her father with an expression that mirrored her mother's.

Nick was intrigued. He was a little unsure about the wisdom of tricking your fifteen year old daughter into going out to hack something up with an axe, but this _was_ the country. Regardless he was certainly going ask about this incident later. It sounded entertaining.

Also, the smooth slide into talk about something other than him and Judy was more than welcome. If Bonnie had not relented it would make it a very strained visit indeed, if they hadn't just turned around and headed back to the train station, but finally the ice was starting to break. Nick let himself start to genuinely relax, things just might be okay.

Nick grinned. "You know, Carrots," he said and turned his head to Judy, "I now find myself curious as to what other tales your family may have about you."

Judy let out a sigh and waved her paws at them all. "Oh, I have no doubt you'll come away with all kinds of things to embarrass me with," she said, finding it hard to be worried about. What was some more good-natured ribbing from her fellow officers at this point?

 _I am so tired_ , she thought. It wasn't so much physically tired as it was mentally. She had been wound up about one thing or another since having woken this morning. Well, had been wound up since yesterday morning if she was being truthful with herself. Now that things were settled, for the time being anyway, all she wanted to do is sit down and relax. Her body was actually trembling ever so slightly; she could feel it in her legs, and wasn't sure if it was because of the fatigue or the after effects of the adrenaline that had started when her parents drove up.

The silence started to draw out, and Nick pursed his lips, eyes looking back and forth. He clasped his paws together again and said, "So... what now?" Three pairs of rabbit eyes focused on him.

"Um," Bonnie said, looking at Stu, who shrugged.

"Uh," Judy said and pondered for a moment. "Originally I figured Nick and I would help man the stand until close but, honestly, I really just want to sit in some shade with a cool drink."

"Well," Bonnie said, "I'm planning dinner around six, so why don't you two get a ride home with your father, and I'll stay here with Jackie. You can show Nick around the burrows if you like."

Judy looked at Nick questioningly, "What do you think?"

Nick shrugged. "This is your show, Carrots," he said as he put his sunglasses back on.

Judy gave Nick a blank look. "You're a lot of help," she replied.

"C'mon, I'm a helper. I'm here to help," he said calmly, using that great line from Delgato yesterday, "And I'll have you know I'm technically here against my will." He then added as an aside to Bonnie and Stu, "Not that I'm not glad to finally meet you, it's just been a... busy couple of days." Nick winced inwardly. While the said ice seemed to be broken, he was still worried about everything that came out of his muzzle. _Ha ha ha! A busy couple of days in bed with your daughter, getting her drunk, biting her neck! Devouring her whole! Planning the fox uprising!_ he thought.

Judy debated the options in her head before making a decision. "Let's head back with dad," she said and nodded back to the stand, "Grab the stuff."

Nick nodded. "Aye captain," he said and padded back over to the stand to gather up the bag and guitar. He decided against putting the ridiculous hat back on and held it out to Jackie, "Want a hat?" he asked casually.

Jackie gave him a grin and took the proffered hat. "Sure," she said and settled it onto her head, "That looked... interesting. Everything go okay?"

Nick thought she was just being polite. All the rabbits standing around must have heard every word with those radar-like ears of theirs. He settled straps over a shoulder and gave Jackie a shrug.

"Certainly could have gone worse," he said as he gave the group of rubberneckers a slight bow, "Thank you! Next show at six, folks! Standing room only!"

Jackie and a few others snickered.

"There's a show?" said one confused rabbit from the group, but that just generated more laughs.

Nick turned and gave Jackie a quick two-fingered salute, "Now to survive the rest of your family."

Jackie grinned and winked. "Good luck, you're going to need it."

Nick grunted. "Can't be worse than Mr. Big," he said and started walking.

Jackie paused. "Wait, who's Mr. Big?" she asked.

Nick shrugged and kept walking. "Long story, don't worry about. Ask Judy about it, she'd love to tell you. See you back at the burrows."

"Er, okay, have fun!" Jackie called after him, amusement and confusion co-mingling in her voice.

Nick steeled himself. The initial meeting was over, disaster apparently averted, but he could feel the barely contained anxiety under the surface. _Easy does it, Wilde. Steady as she goes_ , he told himself. _Dang, what's with all the nautical references?_

Nautical allusions aside, things seemed to be going okay now. He was pretty sure that speech of his bought him quite a bit room to work with. It had been a good speech too, if he did say so himself. It helped that he meant every word.

"You never said he played guitar!" Stu said to Judy as Nick drew closer and saw what he had slung over his shoulder, breaking the odd silence the three of them had maintained while Nick went to gather the items.

"That's because I didn't know he did until this morning, Dad," Judy replied.

The confusion on Judy's parent's faces was apparent.

"We've only been dating since Friday night... technically," Judy explained.

Bonnie and Stu looked at each other again.

"Oh, we, um..." Bonnie said and trailed off.

Stu picked up and continued, looking back and forth between Judy and Nick, "We thought you'd been... together longer than that."

"No, you guys," Judy said, the exhaustion evident in her voice, "Friday was, well, the day. If it hadn't been for that sneak of a photographer, nobody would even know."

Nick raised a finger, "Uh..." he said, about to remind Judy about the Chief and Clawhauser but Judy waved him down.

"Yes, Bogo and Clawhauser," she said, "So the ZPD would know, but not everybody else from Zootopia to the countryside."

Bonnie and Stu shared another look; Nick thought Bonnie wore contrite very well.

Stu shrugged and leaned in to give Bonnie a peck on the cheek, "I'll see you in bit, hon." He turned to the stand and called out, "Jackie! You getting low on anything?"

Jackie turned and gave the stand a quick looking over before calling back, "Could use some radishes and blueberries. We're good on everything else for now, but bring a couple crates of carrots. We'll need them eventually."

Stu gave Jackie a thumbs up before turning to head back to the pickup.

"Well," Bonnie said, looking at Nick and Judy with a slightly troubled expression. "I'll see you in a few hours," she said and stepped in to hug Judy, who hugged back, if a bit hesitantly at first.

"Okay, Mom," Judy said quietly.

Bonnie gave a small smile and looked at Nick briefly with a more neutral expression before turning to walk to the stand but stopped. She turned back, "Oh, Nick?" she said.

Nick turned his head, ears perked. "Yes, Ma'am?"

"Welcome to Bunnyburrow."

Nick blinked then smiled, "Thank you, Ma'am."

Bonnie nodded and walked to the stand.

Judy smiled. _That was a good sign,_ she thought. She started to move back around the pickup, making for the passenger door.

Stu nodded at Nick's guitar. "So you play, huh?" he said, starting to sound excited. "I play too, mostly just the banjo-" he continued, but an alarmed squeak from Judy stopped him as she began to open the passenger door of the old pickup

Judy quickly reached into the cab of the truck and grabbed the bright pink FoxTaser resting in the middle of the bench seat. Before Nick got close enough to see what was going on, she shoved the bulky device into the glovebox and slammed it shut, or at least tried to. The taser was too big to allow the compartment to close completely. She slammed the small door again, pushing and trying to force the latch to catch without any luck.

"What's that all about?" Nick asked as he and Stu came up.

Judy jumped. She pulled the taser back out and put it behind her back.

"Nothing!" Judy said through a forced smile, "Just tidying things up here! Why don't you ride in back, Nick? Not enough room for all three of us up here, isn't that right, _Dad_?"

Stu blinked, reaching to open the driver's door. The tone meant he was in trouble for something, but he didn't know what until he saw the look on Judy's face. He suddenly remembered what he'd left sitting on the seat. "Uh," he started slowly, eyes still on Judy's, "that... that's right! Um, a bit cramped in here with someone your size, Nick!"

Nick cocked an eyebrow. He bent down and looked through the cab of the truck at Judy. She was standing there, paws behind her back, giving a smile that showed way too many blunt herbivorous rabbit teeth. He stood up and leaned over, peering into the back of the pickup. It was tidy, tools and hoses in racks or otherwise secured, but the bed was covered in a dusting of dark, dry, topsoil and bits of leafy green detritus. He was normally fine with humoring Judy, but not in this case.

"Uh, no," said Nick with exaggeration and started to walk around the back of the pickup. He saw Judy make a quick motion while she was briefly blocked by the truck's cab but gave up on whatever she was trying to hide. He walked up to her, set the bag and guitar case down, and looked down at Judy who was still smiling up at him with that goofy, fake grin.

"What are you hiding behind your back?" Nick asked mildly, although he had a pretty good idea as to the nature of whatever it was given on how she was acting,

"Nothing!" Judy said through her smile, "Just... get in the truck, Nick! Please!"

"That's a good idea, yup. Good idea, great idea even. Best idea I've heard all day." Stu said as if the command had been directed at him, and climbed into the truck's driver's seat as Judy spared a quick glare at him.

Judy would have smacked her forehead at her father's acting ability if her paws hadn't been full of 10,000 volts of anti-fox speciesism.

Nick crossed his arms. "Let me see your paws," he said flatly.

Judy spared one more quick glare at Stu, who was steadfastly ignoring her. _Thanks for the help, Dad!_ she thought and looked back up. "Hmmm?" she hummed, "Oh!" She pulled one paw out from behind her back and wiggled her fingers, the other gripping the oversized taser tightly with her other, the weight of the bulky thing causing it to slowly yaw to the side despite how much she tried to dig her blunt nails in.

"Ha ha, very funny," Nick said, "Both paws..."

Judy quickly put her arm back behind her back before the ridiculously unwieldy thing fell from her grip, and stuffed it in the waistband of her shorts. She brought both paws out, giving that big toothy grin.

Nick cocked his head. "Seriously?" he said, "What are you, four?"

"Just get in the truck, Nick!" Judy snapped through her teeth again.

"Yeah, I don't think so," Nick said and lunged, arms curving around behind Judy.

Judy squealed. "No! Nick! Stop it!" she cried as she tried to back up and fend Nick off, but he was too quick and reached around her with his long arms to deftly pluck the taser from her waistband.

Nick stepped back and held the bright pink device up, out of Judy's reach. He gave it a once over. "Oh, very nice. It's a popular model, to be sure. Lot of bang for your buck," he said.

Judy briefly debated jumping up to grab the taser, she could easily, but what was the point now? She shut her eyes, wishing the embarrassment would wash away in a breeze.

The general commotion, and especially Judy's squeal, had drawn some attention. Every rabbit in earshot, with the exception of Stu, had stopped in their tracks. All eyes were trained on him, ears focused, noses twitching. This was not lost on Nick who, strangely enough, wasn't particularly worried. He waved the taser in the air.

"Nothing to see here folks!" he said sarcastically, voice raised and with a grin, "Just an officer disarming a vicious bunny of her fox taser!"

"Stuart! I told you to leave that thing at home!" Bonnie called back from the stand. This caused a few laughs and, as if on cue, motion around the stand started up again.

Stu winced at the use of his full name. He looked out at Judy, although he couldn't really see much of Nick. "Um, sorry... about that, Nick... um..."

Nick ducked his head down to look into the cab, leaning against it lazily as he did. He held the taser in a paw and turned it over, examining it. "It's okay," he said, "You don't grow up walking the streets of Zootopia as a fox and not see one of these." He looked over at Judy, who was just looking defeated, "or one of FoxAway's other lovely products. I see you sprang for the FX-700. Solid choice, though I was always fond of the 850 model, myself."

Judy tugged on her ears with every word out of Nick's mouth, while Stu struggled to look at anything other than his feet.

Nick looked back at the taser and gave the button an experimental press. Nothing happened.

"Battery's dead," he said and reached over to hand the taser to Stu.

Stu blinked and took the thing after a brief hesitation. "I just charged it yesterday," he said, puzzled, and tentatively pressed the button once, then several more times.

Nick gave one of his smug smiles. "Batteries in those things are garbage," he said, "after about six months they stop being able to hold a charge for more than an hour. That's how they get you, making you buy another battery. You can get aftermarket ones that are much better."

"Huh," Stu said hesitantly as he gave Nick a look, wondering why that kind of advice was even given, "Um, thanks." He looked at the taser for a moment again then reached down to try to wiggle it under the seat and out of view.

Judy, ears down, the insides turning pink with embarrassment said, "Can we just go now, please?"

Nick stood back up. "Absolutely," he said, "as long as I get to be your seat." He turned, picking up the bag and guitar and slung them over side to set them into the bed of the truck. He wedged the bag so that guitar case would not slide around too much. They would come out a bit dusty, but nothing a shake and few swipes of a paw would not clear off. Satisfied, he turned back. Judy waited with the look of tired exasperation she'd been wearing for the ten minutes as he slid into the small truck's cab, arranging his tail carefully; he'd nearly shut it in the door the last time he had been in it.

Nick patted his lap and looked at Judy expectantly. "Your throne awaits," he said with a wink and was glad to see the comment cause a slight smile to stir.

"Oh, a literal lap of luxury, huh?" Judy said as she climbed up and settled in, wiggling her rump as she pressed back. Nick's lap was actually very comfy and warm. "I think I might get used to this," she said, feeling like she was just going to melt back into him, "you make a fantastic seat." She debated reaching down to pull his tail up to cuddle. She realized just how badly she had been wanting to do that for a while now, but she stopped herself. It did tend to sweep the ground and was probably pretty dusty. _One of these days_ , she thought.

Nick sputtered as Judy's hat flicked his muzzle and blocked half his vision. "Okay, this has to come off." he said and plucked the hat off Judy's head, dropping it into her lap, " Judy didn't protest. Nick pulled the door closed before wrapping his arms around to snug her against him. "I will gladly be your seat any time you like Fluff, but right now I'll be your seatbelt and foxy airbag, seeing as this ancient thing doesn't appear to have any kind of seat belts," he said, looking down to search, but not finding even a lap belt, let alone a more modern shoulder strap.

Stu, having won the battle to stuff the taser under the seat, turned the key in the ignition and the old truck rumbled to life without any hesitation. He looked over at Nick and Judy, the sight leaving him speechless for a moment. There was Judy, snuggling happily in a fox's lap. He shook his head and puffed out his cheeks,

"That's something I never thought I would see," Stu said under this breath then added in a normal volume, "Oh, this old thing never had any seat belts, It hardly goes off the farm as it is." He grabbed the shifter and jerked it into reverse. He paused to give a wave out the window to Bonnie, Jackie, and the rest before leaning forward to look out each door window to check for any traffic.

Nick reached down to crank the window the rest of the way down. He had not paid much attention the last time riding in the archaic vehicle, having been too wrapped up in the events at the time, and the thrill of seeing Judy again. On top of that, he never cared much for cars. Finnick could have talked his ears off about the truck, but Nick didn't care much, as long as it got him from point A to point B. It was old, though. Old enough that the gear shift was the manual style situated on the steering column and not the floor. _Three on the tree?_ Nick thought it used to be called. "Just how old is this thing?" he asked.

That was something Judy herself didn't know. The old truck had been in the family since long before she had been born. She had taken countless rides in it, or piled in the bed with siblings. _Not particularly safe_ , she had to note as an officer of the law. Doing that in the city would get you a ticket at the very least.

Stu smiled proudly as he backed out onto the road and shifted into first. "Oh, fifty? Sixty years?" he said, "My grandfather bought it, and it's been the farm truck ever since!" Stu reached forward and fondly patted the worn dash. "You take good care of your equipment, and it'll last forever."

"Amen to that, sir," Nick said to that, a motto he could admire.

"Oh don't call me sir," Stu said, keeping his eyes on the road, "I feel old enough. Just call me Stu."

"You got it, Stu," Nick said with a grin then ducked his head down to nuzzle between Judy's ears. "How you doing, Carrots?" he asked quietly.

Judy leaned her head back against Nick, smiling at the affection. "Okay, I guess. Tired. Kind of wish we hadn't come."

Nick couldn't really argue with that; he would much rather have not come under the circumstances, at least not yet, anyway. They were here now, though, so he'd do his best. He tried not to laugh. _It was what? Just after noon when we got here?_ he thought. It could not have been much more than an hour since they had stepped off the train, if that. So far it had been an oscillating cycle of panic and calm. _This is going to be a good story to tell one day_.

"Oh come on, Jude," Stu said, turning his head briefly to look at his daughter, "This all would have come out eventually."

"Yes, I know," Judy sighed, "but ever since Friday night it went from zero to a hundred and it feels like it's been stuck at a hundred ever since. I could have used some time."

"Agreed," Nick, finding that was a pretty good way to put it.

It was quiet for a short time, the truck rolling by the train station.

"Um," Stu finally said, "I'm sorry about, you know, the calling your chief and all that. I tried to stop your mom at first but, well, after Benny called and told us about Nick, and we saw the picture online... then you didn't answer your phone, and didn't call like you said, and weren't answering your phone again..."

"I know, Dad," Judy said, "I know. All of your children know what awful helicopter parents you two are. I really should have known better." That was the truth too. After that meeting with the Chief, she should have done more to head off her parents right away, but her mind had been more focused on admiring a certain fox's abs than giving any thought to her parents. Plus, she had not know what her Uncle had told them. If she had, she would have certainly called to deal with it. _If carrots grew in cupboards,_ she thought.

"I'm sorry I lied to you guys," she said, ears tucked down and relaxing back against Nick, "but you and Mom are always so worried something is going to happen to me, and how you guys always were about foxes, Gideon aside… at the time it seemed the less you knew, the better."

Nick listened, content with a warm Judy in his lap, and again found this family interaction fascinating. It was something he simply had precious little of, especially considering he had never known his own father and had no siblings of his own. He looked out the window and draped an arm out, letting the warm summer air ruffle his fur while keeping the other tight around Judy.

Judy turned her head. "Speaking of which," she said and leaned over slightly to give her dad a light punch in the arm, "You seem awfully calm about all this."

Stu looked at Judy, "Huh?" he said, "You mean compared to your mother?"

"I mean," Judy said, "since forever. You were the one trying to get me to take that FoxAway stuff with me when I moved to the city and Mom was the reasonable one. Jackie said you've been getting friendly with Gideon and thinks it's changed you."

"Ahh," Stu said, "Well, she's probably right about that. Gid's a pretty good fella, and a mean cribbage player, too!"

"But you still brought the taser?" Judy asked pointedly.

Stu blinked, caught off guard. "Um, well," he said, "Just, you know, in case..."

"Uh huh," Judy said, not really mad; she just liked putting her dad on the spot. It was cute when he got flustered.

"Lay off, Fluff," Nick said with a chuckle, "I'd probably bring a taser too if my daughter were dating a guy with a colorful past like mine."

Stu gave a little nervous chuckle. "That did kind of, you know, stand out," he said, "I mean, he's a fox, sure, no offense Nick-"

"None taken," Nick interjected, amused.

"But we really couldn't ignore what your uncle said," Stu finished.

Judy rolled her eyes. "Thank you Uncle Benny..." she said then remembered what her mother had told her. She squirmed and turned so she could look at Nick. " _Do_ you know a rabbit named Benny?"

Nick perked his ears. His eyes went distant as he flipped through his mental rolodex. "I know several mammals named Benny, but no rabbits."

Judy hummed. "He's about my height, Dad's coloring, one ear that always flops over?" she said and mimicked her right ear falling over with a paw.

Nick blinked. "Wait, do you mean Bonkers Benjamin?" he said, "Always going on about how aliens run everything?"

"Yes!" Judy said, "That's him!"

"He's your Uncle?" Nick asked in disbelief.

"'Fraid so," Stu said, looking over briefly, "he's my older brother. Kind of went off the deep end years ago. We tried to get him help, but not much we can do. It's not like he's, you know, violent or anything."

Nick put a paw to his forehead. "Well, that explains a lot," he said with a laugh, "Old Ben and I have had some run-ins. He set up his soapbox, and I mean a literal soap box, near me and Finnick more than once. He scared marks... uh, customers away. We've had... words." Nick chuckled, "I bet he has some choice ones about me."

"Mmm," Stu hummed, "you... could say that, yup. Definitely, could say that."

"Huh," Nick said thoughtfully, "Small world."

"You're not kidding," Judy said, just as thoughtful. She and Nick had a kind of connection long before they had even met.

They continued in silence for a time, the road curving around the edge of a large field of some kind of crop Nick could not immediately identify. What he could identify were the dark purple flowers that edged the entire field. Judy had told him about how they used the Night Howler flowers as a natural insect repellent. While the flowers by themselves were nowhere near as dangerous as the concentrated decoration Bellwether's goon Doug had come up with, it was still unnerving to see the things used so casually.

Judy then, sensing subtle cues out of her peripheral vision, looked over at her Dad who seemed to be wrestling with something.

"Dad?" Judy asked, "What is it?"

Stu, not realizing he was being so obvious, jumped and looked at Judy. His eyes were shining, and he swallowed, turning back to the road.

"I just," he started, "You know your mother and I worry about you being off in the city, being a actual police officer and everything." Stu bobbed his head back and forth, sidetracking himself as he thought about the city and how nervous the place made him. "You know, heh heh, with all those… big predators…" His voice trailed off and his eyes glazed for a moment, "It's like being around a bunch sharp-toothed giants." He blinked and shook his head, "Anyway, well, do we want you to give it all up and come home where it's safe and settle down? Yup, sure do, absolutely," he said, making a smoothing motion with one paw. "No offence Nick," he quickly added again.

"None taken," Nick said once more with a barely suppressed grin. He had kind of figured that wish went without saying, but he found Stu's reaction rather endearing.

"But, I gotta tell ya, Jude," he said, and his voice started cracking, "And I know I've said this before, but.. we could not be more proud of you. Scared for you, but proud." He started wiping at his tearing eyes, "Oh, geez," he said and sniffed.

The truck started drifting over the centerline of the road and both Judy and Nick started to tense up.

"Dad! Eyes! Road!" Judy snapped, bracing to reach over and grab the wheel. As much as the sentiment touched her, her Dad was also the king of inappropriate timing. He also told her this same thing just about every time she visited, with similar teary results.

Stu jerked the wheel, swerving the truck back into the lane. "Sorry! Sorry!" he said and sniffled again, paw rubbing at his nose.

Fiery crash and death averted, Judy smiled. "Thanks, Dad," she said and leaned over to put a paw on his arm, "That means a lot me." She pressed her head back and whispered up to Nick, "He can get pretty emotional."

"You're one to talk,' Nick said dryly.

"Oh, shush you," Judy said and settled back.

"Just don't, you know, get eaten or run over or stepped on," Stu added in that slightly worried, but completely serious tone.

Judy rolled her eyes and smiled, "You say that every time I visit."

"Don't worry," Nick added and hugged Judy against him, rewarded with a pleased little noise and wriggle backwards, "I'll look out for her." He hoped that was true too. _Chief still might separate us when we're back on duty_ , he thought, _we are really going to have to play it right so that doesn't happen._ If they did get split to new partners, and something happened to Judy, he wasn't sure he would be able to live with that.

Stu cleared his throat and nodded. "Right, good," he said, taking a calming breath. Composure gathered, he returned focus on driving.

They rode in silence again for about another mile, all three lost in their own thoughts before the truck finally slowed. Stu turned onto a well-packed white gravel road that led off to a group of small hills in the near distance. Only the hills were not hills.

"Just about there," Judy said with a smile and wiggled back against Nick again.

Nick, still half lost in thought, and a bit distracted by Judy's rear squirming against him, focused his eyes out the windshield.

What Nick had initially taken for the beginning of the low foothills were actually tall, grass covered mounds. It was hard to see exactly how big they were, but as they drew closer, he saw that they were pushing thirty or forty feet high at the apex. Sticking out at random places were rounded, windowed protrusions, almost like little barrels stuck into the side of the hill.

There were three or four of the mounds, it was hard to tell exactly the way they were staggered, but at least three were visible as they drove up. The closest seemed to be the primary one with what looked like a brightly colored barn built into the side of the artificial hill, the front of it it having some rounded extension jutting out looking like an attached gazebo-like structure. It all looked like it was built by whoever built the train station too, all rounded and colorfully painted in creamy white, pinks and orange colors.

There were also rabbits. Everywhere.

The fur along Nick's spine started to slowly try to stand up at the sight. There had to be at least a hundred or more rabbits out and around the burrows.

To one side a group of kits appeared to be playing soccer, a couple of adults either watching or playing referee. Others seemed to be tending to the landscaping, laying out on lawn chairs, or moving about between the burrows as they walked down a meandering path that led between them.

"That..." Nick said and swallowed, "Is a lot of rabbits."

Stu let out a little bark of laughter and Judy just grinned. _This is going to be interesting,_ she thought.

"Oh Nick," she said with that big grin, "You haven't seen anything yet."

* * *

Bonnie crossed her arms and watched the pickup drive off. A foot began to slowly tap on the grass.

Jackie walked up and stood beside her mother, following her gaze.

The crowd that had been there to watch had started to break up. They had already made any purchases long ago, and only stuck around for the show.

"Well, Mom," Jackie said, "that didn't seem too bad, from what I could see."

Bonnie snorted. "Other than the fact your sister is dating a self-confessed criminal fox."

Jackie rolled her eyes. She had clearly heard what Nick had said to her parents about his history. "Oh come on Mom, give him a break," she said, "at least he was honest about it. Plus, he is with the ZPD now and passed through the academy with the same honors as Jude. That should count for something."

Bonnie huffed and uncrossed her arms. "I know! I just... it..." she said, unable to articulate her feelings about the situation.

Jackie sighed. She knew what the real problem was, or at least a big part of it; all the older Hopps children did. "Mom," she said,"you can't protect us all from everything."

Bonnie's expression hardened. "I don't like her being so far away," she said, "I don't like her being in a place where one careless step could kill her."

"I know mom," Jackie said, "but you can't keep meddling-"

"I don't want to bury another one of my children!" Bonnie snapped, but without any real anger behind it.

"Mom-"

"You don't know what it's like," Bonnie interrupted.

"Now that's not fair," Jackie protested, keeping her voice level, but still a bit irritated at the little snipe. There was some truth to it, though. Her children were all healthy and hale, but the thought of losing one of her own kits sent a spike of fear and dread through her, but still…

Bonnie turned her head to look at Jackie. "Do you know how many of your brothers and sisters I've put in the ground?" she asked quietly, voice almost monotone, "Do you? I do. I remember every one."

Jackie didn't answer. She didn't actually know, although she probably should. It was certainly more than she cared think about, but you simply didn't have as many kids as her parents did and not lose some be it at birth, from accident, or illness.

"Twenty four, Jackie," Bonnie said when Jackie didn't say anything, "Twenty four of my babies I've had to bury." She turned her head back to the small truck dwindling in the distance. "And now Judy is living in that city and… and involved with that fox."

"Mom," Jackie said and put a paw on her mother's shoulder, "Jude's a grown doe now. She's a highly respected police officer. She's known Nick for almost a year and has been fine. If it's any any help, from what I've seen of him, he seems like an okay guy."

"Tell your grandfather that," Bonnie said with a snort.

Jackie rolled her eyes. "Yeah, let's not, and you're deflecting," she said, but how Nick and Judy _were_ going to avoid the fox hating old codger was beyond her.

Bonnie blinked her eyes rapidly, her muzzle working for a few seconds as the stony facade she had been maintaining began to crack. "I just... I just wish Judy would..."

"What, Mom?" Jackie asked quietly, "Come home? Give up her dream and work the farm? Marry some nice buck and give you a bunch of grandkits? It's not going to happen, and you _know_ that. Let her live her life. Let her go. Be happy for her."

Bonnie visibly swallowed and let out a shuddering breath. She gave Jackie a quick glance before swiping at her eyes with one paw. Without another word she turned and slowly walked back to the stand.

* * *

Again big thanks to my editors. Mordecool1039, author of the ZT Fanfic Smooth Operator. He really gets some mad props this chapter for #1 Stopping me from making Nick sound like a Victorian dandy when talking to the Hopps, and #2 having some excellent and funny additions/edits. I can't thank him enough. Big thanks to LuciusFleet and Gotriss Nholf (Athens is absent this round) as my 2nd pass editors who found others things and had plenty of polish suggestions. Couldn't do it without you guys!


	16. Chapter 16 - Detour

**Foreword from the Author:**

OKAY... so after long delay here we are! Not quite a speedy as I hoped after moving back to my normal work schedule. Hopefully it'll be a big quicker from here out. Still have some backlog to work through. FYI - take any estimate I may tell you (if you ask me in PM etc) and triple it. I never seem to be able to estimate worth a darn.

SO... this is the chapter of saucy fox-rabbit action that folks overwhelmingly voted for. Don't know how much more I'll do, might be more in the future but sexy fox-rabbit times are not the point of this story. Also, as it turns out, it's _really really_ hard being lewd while trying _not_ to be lewd. I tried to keep things tasteful, and it's all really more about the pred-play thing with tender moments between the two during some pillow talk.

For those who are not keen on the saucy action I've moved those bits to AO3 and Wattpad to keep in lines with ZNNs policy on adult content- please check those sites if you're not adverse to more intimate Fox and Rabbit action. If you have problems finding the links check /r/zootopia on Reddit for - the topspot should be the sticky FanFic post which will have links to the AO3 and WattPad.

Again big shout out to my editors: Mordecool1039, author of the ZT Fanfic Smooth Operator (The last big 50k word blow out finale just posted last week!) I almost have to give him co-author edits this time around, he was very keen to ad and polish bits in this one... the dirty dirty boy. Big thanks to LuciusFleet, Athens, and Gotriss Nholf for additional excellent editing and making this as polished as it is.

So without further ado...

* * *

It was nearly silent outside of the Hopps' burrow. The only sound that of the pickup truck crunching over the gravel drive as Stu headed back to the stand.

There were a lot of rabbits — rabbits now staring in their direction, although Nick was pretty sure he was the focus of attention. A sizable majority had started walking his and Judy's way, while some just peered curiously from a distance. It was making the fur along Nick's spine start to rise.

"This is like The Village of the Damned..." he muttered, his ears splaying out.

"What?" Judy asked, confused.

That broke Nick out of his fog. He looked down at Judy and put his paws on his hips. "Alright, you know what," he said, "when we get back we're having a movie night at least once a week. I swear it's like you were raised-"

"Underground?" Judy finished, raising her eyebrows along with a gesture to the large grass covered mounds.

Nick snapped his muzzle shut. _Walked right into that one._ "Okay," he said, "You got me there, Fluff."

Judy grinned and held up a finger. Both her and Nick's attention returned to the horde of rabbits that had slowly converged on them. She stepped forward and raised her paws.

She was going to quash this quickly. She wanted to get inside. She wanted to get to her room. The last few days had left her with little patience for questions or comments about her and Nick, especially when it came to dealing with her family. From the comments at the train station to her parent's questioning, she'd had enough. Plus, while the trip from the stand was short, riding in Nick's lap like that with his breath on her ears and neck had dredged up hazy memories from last night… _If I have to wait any longer I'm gonna jump his bones right here, in front of everyone, consequences be damned,_ she thought..

"Okay!" she said, voice raised to carry as she turned in a slow circle, "Nothing to see here, you guys! I know you've all read the paper and heard the rumors. You'll all get a chance to meet Nick later, but we're tired and going to go relax for a bit."

"We are?" Nick asked, ears perking up, "I thought I was getting the grand tour?"

"Shush," Judy said and gave Nick a lingering sidelong look.

Nick could not quite place that look, but it seemed to hold the promise of something _very_ interesting. Judy's pert rear sitting in his lap had left him more than a little distracted. Every time he tried pretending to admire the architecture of the burrow, his mind instead flew to recall the subtle movements of her hips grinding against him. He tried not to grin like an idiot as butterflies erupted in his belly.

"For now all you need to know," Judy continued, "is that yes, we are dating. No, he is not going to eat anybody or whatever other cliche jokes you're thinking, and yes, he impressed Mom and Dad."

This later statement drew some low murmurs, chuckles, hoots, and general knowing amusement. Some even looked impressed.

"Looks like Jude the Dude isn't such a prude after all! How's that fox meat, Jude?" a distinctly male voice called out from behind them. The crowd mostly erupted into laughter, but some had the decency to looked shocked.

Nick sputtered, half from embarrassment, half from the nickname. "Jude the-" he started to say, but Judy's head whipped around. He was pretty sure if looks could kill he would now be one very dead fox. He swallowed. "Right, " he said simply, and shut his mouth. _First on the list of what not to call Judy_ , he thought.

Judy didn't take her eyes off Nick as she shouted "Badge or no badge, I'm going to hurt you, Leon, I'm going to hurt you really bad!"

This got even more laughs, but Judy's little speech had the intended impact. The crowd had stopped their advance and slowly went back to what they had been doing. A few did stay in place, just watching; specifically, watching Nick, with apparent curiosity and no small amount of amusement.

Nick could not help but notice some of the does giving him a decidedly predatory look that reminded him all too much of Katherine. On top of it all was a sudden chatter that had suddenly sprung up.

Nick could not help but hear some of what was being said and his ears cocked back. "Carrots, you have some, er, very dirty-minded siblings."

Judy clicked her tongue and tried not to roll her eyes. "You have no idea. 'Breed like rabbits,' remember? Come on," she said, nodding at the entrance of the nearest burrow and set off, "that should hold them for a while, at least." She kept her pace brisk and gave a quick look back at Nick as more concrete 'plans' started unfolding in her head. Some of those lewd comments she had also heard had just given her even more ideas. _Fox meat indeed_ , she thought, a decidedly lewd tone to her mental voice. She turned her head back and bit her bottom lip. _Keep it cool, Jude. Don't mess this up._

Nick trotted after Judy and said, "Well, that was reassuring, I guess. I mean, outside of the fact that you have some very, uh, lewd siblings. That they actually listened to you and didn't mob us, or tear me limb from limb was nice. I wonder if anyone has been nibbled to death by an army of rabbits before," he said, earning a groaned giggle from Judy, "Or molested. I think getting molested by your sisters is more likely that being hunted with torches and pitchforks now."

Judy snorted, struggling to stifle her laughter. "I'm the only one who'll be molesting you, Mister. Or at least I better be, or there's going to be hell to pay," she said, turning her head to give him a pointed look.

Nick held up a his free paw. "Hey, don't look at me like that. I'm a one-rabbit fox," he said, "but you may need defend my honor."

Judy rolled her eyes and smiled. She wasn't worried. Not really. Well, there was Katherine and perhaps a few others who might try something, but even so, she had no fear that Nick was going to be lured away. She knew him better than that.

"Anyways," she said, "when you live in such close quarters with so many other rabbits, 'I need some alone time' is serious business, and I am not really in the mood to deal with more family nonsense right now." She hopped up a couple of short steps onto the covered porch, trying not to seem in a rush. "Oh, watch your head around here. The main doors and halls should be okay, but you'll need to get used to ducking," she warned. It wasn't that she didn't want to catch up with her various closer brothers and sisters, she did. In fact she was kind of proud of Nick and wanted to show him off, but the only nonsense she wanted to get up to right now was best conducted behind closed doors.

"Duly noted," Nick replied. He had more or less assumed he would feel like somewhat of a giant here. Looking down the length of the long covered porch he was not disappointed with most, but not all, of the chairs, benches, windows, etc. looking rabbit sized. There were a few chairs for larger mammals, and while the ceiling was low, it was arched so he wasn't in danger of hitting his head. The main door was larger than he would have expected too, easily tall and wide enough to let someone twice his size through without issue.

Judy opened the door, and Nick was surprised to feel a fairly strong inward rush of air around him ruffling his fur that caught him off guard. He paused after he came through the door, Judy having to push it closed against the flow of air.

"Negative pressure?" Nick said, curious and puzzled. He pulled his sunglasses off and hooked them into the collar of his shirt. The transition from the bright afternoon sun left him nearly blind when combined with the dimmer interior.

Judy looked up at Nick as she continued, ears perking up. "Hmm? Oh, that," she said. She grabbed Nick's free paw and started to pull him along, "you'll see. Come on."

Nick let himself be pulled along, amused, and peered around as Judy led him. As he had expected, the interior was as colorful as the outside, but the colors tended to edge to darker tones with more orange and brown rather than the lighter pink and red pastels of the exterior. The floor was solid, possibly oak or some other dense hardwood that was either naturally dark or more likely stained and left rough and unfinished.

The hall they found themselves in was rounded, more of an oval shape, and continued forward for quite a distance until it, ending in an apparent railing, opened out into some larger area that glowed with what could only be sunlight. The sound of many voices chattering echoed back to them from that open area, and every ten feet or so hallways branched off to either side.

While Nick watched a pair of rabbits silhouetted from the bright light walked past the opening. He looked around curiously, following Judy as she made her way to the first hall on the right.

"Kinda reminds me of autumn in here," he commented as they walked down the gently curving hallway lined with rounded rabbit-sized doors at regular intervals.

"Hmm?" Judy said, not having heard what Nick said. When she turned to face him, her thoughts lingered more on Nick's body than what was coming out of his mouth.

Nick waved a paw around. "The colors are a bit more, I don't know, earthy inside."

Judy blinked, looking at Nick as he walked next to her, her eyes automatically roaming over his form. Her mind refused to process what she heard for a few moments. "Oh," she finally said and looked around herself, "um, yeah. Supposedly it used to be much more like it is outside but they changed it before I was born. I think Dad once said it was too much like living in a carnival tent." She grinned and looked at Nick again. "You'll be surprised to know those bright colors are all my Mom. This," she said and twirled a finger, gesturing around, "is more Dad. They compromised."

"Huh, well, color me shocked," Nick said, but quickly added, "No pun intended."

Judy grinned and continued on down the curving hallway.

Nick gave a little shiver, his fur fluffing up some. It was cooler inside, but to Nick, it was downright chilly. However, it didn't feel like air conditioning to him. There was no hum of fans or the subsonic rumble of some lumbering air conditioning unit somewhere. He suspected it had to do with however much dirt and grass the whole thing was covered in, but all that did was beg the question about that impressive negative pressure at the doorway.

They continued to walk, and Nick looked behind them. He could see still hear the low cacophony of voices from that open area, but it now seemed to be coming from both in front and behind. If his internal compass was correct, they must have walked a quarter way around the circumference of the mound, the rooms behind the doors to his right having to be along the outer wall of the burrow. He was surprised that they had not run into another one of Judy's family members yet. There certainly had been a lot of them outside, but other than that pair seen at the end of that main hall, there hadn't been another soul.

He turned his head back, the rounded dim hall continuing in an obvious curve and looked down at Judy. She was being unusually quiet; her eyes were locked straight ahead and seemed lost in thought. He wasn't stupid, though. That look she had given him outside, plus the comment about them going to 'relax' were not lost on him. It added a bit of spring to his step, that flutter of butterflies surging in his stomach. His eyes darted down to the fluff of her tail and lingered for a moment.

 _Or_ , he chided himself, _you're just being a male, and she really is tired and wants to relax._ A pang of guilt surged through him, and he tore his gaze from her bottom. It had been an eventful and emotional morning, after all, and his mind flitted back to the heated, whispered exchange Judy had with her Mother back at the stand.

"You okay, Carrots?" he asked tentatively, "you seem to be in a mood all of a sudden."

"Hmm?" Judy said and blinked up at him with that distracted look again. "Uh, yeah, fine," she said then stopped at a door, the plate on it reading 'Judy.' "And we're here," she said. She let his paw go as she opened the door and stepped in. There was the click of a light switch, and warm light spilled out into the hallway.

Nick paused and looked back the way they had come for a moment, ears perking. Still that low murmur of lots of voices echoed in the distance. _It's actually kind of creepy the way it's coming from everywhere now_ , Nick thought.

Judy ducked her head back out of the doorway. "You coming?" she asked. Her voice was clipped with enough impatience for Nick to notice.

Nick blinked and shook his head. "Yeah, sorry, " he said and started to pad into the room, "just trying to wrap my head around how this place. You know, in case I have to run for my life."

"Har har," Judy said. The joke had begun to get old, but Nick's questionable humor was not what she had on her mind. She stood aside to let Nick in.

Nick eyed the door frame. This time, he did have to duck his head.

The room held the slightly stagnant scent of disuse. It wasn't dusty, or dirty, but there was just that certain smell a room got when left for long periods of time. Calling it a 'room' was generous as well. It was perhaps half again the size of Judy's 'apartment' back in the city, if that, which wasn't saying much.

"No wonder that tiny apartment doesn't bother you," he said dryly as he walked to the center of the small open area.

"It just seems small because you're bigger," Judy said. The size of her apartment in the city had never really bothered her. Well, except for the crazy neighbors, but even they were not that bad since they'd turned into a strange pair of loud, protective older brothers. It was enough room for her, though. She was hardly there to do more than sleep, and she didn't have to worry about paying for anything but the super cheap rent.

The light fixture in the center of the ceiling put out a bright, warm light that filled the room easily. The room, its size aside, had Judy written all over it. The walls were painted a light blue with darker navy trim. _How very law enforcement-y_ , Nick thought. Along one wall were several shelves festooned with trophies, framed pictures, and various awards. Most of them seemed to be related to the local high school's track team.

 _No surprise there,_ Nick thought as his eyes moved from one trophy to the next. He paused on the pictures; there were four in all. They all contained a group of fit-looking teenagers, mostly rabbits, dressed in dark green tracksuits with a golden crossed carrot emblem on the chest. Judy was easy to pick out with her lavender eyes and black tipped ears standing front and center of each of the photos. On the other side of the room, Nick saw a tidy desk and dresser, a bed slightly larger than the one back in the city that was neatly made, and a pile of carefully arranged stuffed mammals around the pillows.

"So your folks kept your room for you?" he asked as he continued to look around, un-slinging the guitar to set it down along with the travel bag. When he didn't get an answer, he turned around to see Judy leaning out the doorway. She was looking down the hall with ears perked, then looked the other way, her nose twitching rapidly.

"What?" Nick asked. Judy held up a finger to silence him. Nick perked his own ears but could hear nothing new. _What, did something happen? Is something wrong?_ he wondered.

Judy finally ducked back into the room after several silent moments and closed the door. She very slowly and carefully pushed in the little button on the doorknob until there was an audible click. She turned around to look at Nick, letting her eyes wander over him from head to toe, that strange fluttering feeling low and deep in her belly surging.

 _He's just so handsome,_ she thought. Her second thoughts commented that it was also, if not more so, because of who Nick was personally. As different as they were, she found, for gods only knew why, his smug, quick-witted, easy-going personality attractive. What she found even more so was in those rare instances he dropped his outward front and let her see who he really was.

 _He would make a good father,_ she thought absentmindedly, then immediately reflected on the thought in horror as she examined the idea, going quiet and her expression growing distant.

Did she want babies now? Or more specifically, did she want Nick's babies? Her brain fired on all cylinders with a resounding and immediate _Yes_! _Sweet cheese and crackers,_ she thought, _I want kits with Nick, are you kidding me?_ She reminded herself they couldn't even have biological children together, which elicited a stark and swift sadness. Before, it felt more like a perk or bonus of being different species, something exciting and new. _Ugh!_ she mentally shouted. _Why am I thinking of this now? This is not what I came here for. Focus, Judy, eyes on the prize._

Nick watched as Judy's expression changed and she went oddly distant, as if she were staring at something behind him. He turned his head back... just the gently curving wall. He turned back and ducked down a bit, putting his eyes in line with where she was staring. He waved a paw back and forth. "Hey, Fluff? You okay? Earth to Judy, come in Judy."

Judy's attention snapped back to the present. She blinked rapidly and looked back and forth, having forgotten where she was for a moment.

"Uh," she said and cleared her throat. _You are in a strange mood, Jude,_ she thought. After a moment of clarity, she realized what the mood was. She was horny. There was no other way to put it. Ever since Friday night it had been there, a constant itch lurking in her thoughts. The more she thought, the more she realized it went even farther back to when she met Nick, albeit not quite so intense. She was horny and alone with the male she...

 _Loved? Is that it?_ She thought.

Something her mother said to her a few years ago bubbled up from her memory. It had been during an argument about her continuing attempts to get into the ZPD academy, one of the many they had had over her bucking family — and rabbit — tradition.

'You just wait, Judy. One day you'll meet some buck and nature will take over. You'll be giving me grandkits before you know it, and that will be the end of this foolishness. It's just how we rabbits are,'' her mother had said, forever hoping to dissuade her from her dream of joining the ZPD.

 _Oh how wrong you were, Mom,_ she thought. Although she had not been _entirely_ wrong. Nature had taken over, just with someone of a different species.

Judy thought of her siblings, and with very few exceptions, those over 17 or 18 all were starting to have kits of their own or were at least married. _Oh great googley moogley. Am I going to become some kind of sex crazed doe now that I've found someone who flips all the right switches?_

She shook her head and banished the thoughts of kits, genetics, and everything with one exception. It _was_ a perk Nick could not get her pregnant. No pesky contraceptives to have to fiddle with.

"I'm fine," she said.

Nick raised an eyebrow, dubious. His eyes lingering on Judy, she certainly didn't seem fine. Ever since she had gotten out of the truck, she had been acting odd. She seemed distracted and wound up, almost like she was ready to pop. She was gawking at him again. He swallowed.

Their eyes locked for a long moment. Judy's eyes were wide, her ears up straight. Her small nose twitched almost imperceptibly.

"Are you su-" Nick started and stopped. That look was now unmistakable, and the way she was biting her bottom lip... Heat blossomed in Nick's belly.

Judy's darted her eyes to the bed and back to Nick, raising her eyebrows questioningly. Her ears twitched and flitted in random directions, acutely aware of her surroundings. She could feel her heart pounding in her throat.

Nick's eyes looked to the bed, then slowly back. He arched one of his eyebrows.

They held the gaze silently for several seconds, not daring to breathe. Time had ground to a halt before restarting in a flash as both of them burst into a flurry of frantic motion, tearing each other's clothes off.

* * *

 **OKAY FOLKS! If You want to read all the details of what they got up to see AO3 or WattPad! Check /r/zootopia FanFic thread to get the links if you have problems finding it. I would put the links here but FF is kind of, shall I say, restrictive on posting any kind of link.**

* * *

Some time later...

Judy fell forward and pressed her face into the sheets, her rump up in the air, tail held high.

"Oh my gods," she moaned, voice muffled.

Nick panted, staring up at the low ceiling. "That was... that was..." said between pants of breath.

"Incredible," Judy mumbled into the sheets and collapsed all the way onto the bed.

"Yeah," Nick said and gulped. He raised an arm, the gesture slow and vague as he pointed a finger upward, "that.."

Judy squirmed and rolled over to lay on her back, wiggling as she pressed up against Nick, even more hungry for contact with him now. His core was practically a furnace emanating heat as she buried her face into his fur.

She certainly wasn't sore anymore but had to wonder if she was going to be all stiff again tomorrow morning. _Probably. Totally worth it,_ she thought. She reached up and felt around her damp fur of her neck, only now concerned about that sharp bite pain towards the end there, and checked her paw several times as she did.

"What are you doing?" Nick said then his eyes widened and he rolled onto his side, "Did I-"

"No blood," Judy said, "relax, Casanova." She was thankful not to find any new wounds. She gingerly fingered the small scabs in her fur on the back of her neck from the drunken misadventure last night, just in case. Those were bad enough, but having fresh and obvious bites marks would have been tough, if not impossible, to explain. Especially so, since she was confident the news would be all over the burrow thanks to her three younger siblings. Of that she had no doubt. Just as things had started to really get going two younger brothers and a sister, part of a group that suffered from a bit of hero worship and drove their mother crazy with proclamations they, too, would join the ZPD one day, had come knocking despite Judy's request to be left alone for a while. Judy and Nick had not exactly been in any state to be opening any doors, especially in front of youngsters, so she has stent them off by calling through the door that they were busy, and what 'kind' of busy had been all to obvious. _Those little furballs can never keep their mouths shut,_ Judy thought. She had no idea how her parents would react — Mom would probably not be amused. Yesterday she would have said they would be mortified... now she wasn't sure. It wasn't that she was having sex, it was just, well, Nick. _Then again, who cares what they think_ , she thought, feeling more than a bit tetchy about the subject.

Nick relaxed and let out a relieved sigh.

"We should probably be more careful about that while here," Judy said.

Nick hummed and propped himself up one elbow and looked down at Judy, squirming to snuggle up against her. "We should probably be careful about that regardless of where we are," he said dryly, catching his breath. "Well, you certainly seemed to enjoy it at least," he said, letting his eyes roam down over her white furred chest and lower.

Judy was suddenly hit by a wave of irrational embarrassment. She pulled her rapidly heating ears over her front for some kind of cover and looked up at Nick. "Is it too weird? It feels really weird now and-"

Nick touched a fingerpad to Judy's lips and chuckled. "Shh, it's not weird," he said, "I mean, okay, yes it's a little bit weird, but you don't see me complaining here."

Judy shifted and look down, paws fiddling with the black tip of one ear.

"So," she started, "I was reading those articles about predator-prey play and-"

Nick snorted in amusement.

Judy paused and furrowed her brow, looking up. "What?" she asked, an edge to her voice, "you read it too!" Before she could say anything else, her face scrunched up as she felt some of _Nick_ dribble out of her, something she had only experienced for the first time the other night. It had been a bit of an unwelcome surprise and caused some giggling on both their parts, but it still held a bit of an 'ick' factor for her for some reason. _It's not like it has any place to really go_ , she thought and was glad Nick seemed to miss the look on her face, then scolded herself for being silly about such things.

"I know, but you made me wonder what you were so engrossed in, " Nick said, "don't think I didn't notice you trying to hide your screen from me. I thought you were going to nibble your nail down to the quick back there."

Judy cleared her throat and shifted her hips a bit. She looked back down and resumed fiddling with her ears, "Oh, yeah," she said and looked back up, "kind of gave it away there, didn't I?"

Nick chuckled and nodded. "Just a bit."

Judy fidgeted, remembering.

Nick idly let his eyes wander up and down Judy's body, he couldn't help himself. "Mmm," he hummed, "figured I better read up on it too if it's going to be, you know, your thing."

"My thing?" Judy asked and arched an eyebrow.

"Uhh, well," Nick said, "Our thing I guess. Like I said, you don't hear me making any complaints." He shifted his weight to reposition the arm propping him up, "I think you get more out of it, but it certainly, ah, shall we say roused something in me I didn't know was there."

Judy smiled and looked up again, "So I noticed. So... you liked it?" Judy asked tentatively.

Nick arched an eyebrow at her. "I'm pretty sure I just had an earth shattering orgasm inside you... now correct me if I'm wrong..."

Judy rolled her eyes. _He most certainly did_ , she thought as she felt that wetness between her thighs, _I am going to have to sneak all the bedsheets down to the laundry._ "Okay, okay, wise ass," she said and gave a little giggle. "Anyways, where was I?"

"The article in Anipedia," Nick supplied.

"Ah, right," Judy said, regaining her previous train of thought. She snuggled up against him some more, not that she could get any closer. She just liked rubbing against him. "So, did you read the part that had the interviews?"

Nick nodded. "I did."

Judy nodded too. "So there was one who said," she began, pausing to recall the text, "what else can you do that shows how much you love someone other than literally putting your life in their jaws?" Saying that out loud made her uncomfortable for some reason, and she stared intently at the tip of the ear she was still playing with. "That's how I feel about you, Nick." She sighed and lifted a paw and let it drop back down onto her chest, "I just, I don't know. I can't really say it any better than that. I just want to be so close to you. To... to give myself to you." She groaned and put her paws over eyes, "I sound like a such a dork."

Nick carefully pulled one of Judy's paws away from her face, and she let the other drop as she looked up at him, confusion and uncertainty in her eyes. He carefully leaned in and gave her a brief kiss on the lips. "You flatterer, you," he said quietly, "to be honest, I can still hardly believe I'm lucky enough to be lying here next to you." Nick paused every few words, struggling to find the right ones to use. His eyes flitted around the room, searching fruitlessly for how to vocalize just how much Judy meant to him. His voice was low and quiet. "No one else I've ever met makes me feel the way you do. To be able to share this with you, is just, I mean, I — I wish there was something fancier I could say, but- "

Judy pressed a finger up against Nick's mouth to quiet him. Her eyes started to become wet, and she tried to blink any tears away. "Darn it, Nick," she said and brought her paws back up to rub her eyes, "You don't need to worry about saying the right thing. You always do anyway..."

Nick chuckled and ducked his head in again to smooch Judy's cheek. "Well, we can't my favorite bunny crying, now can we," he said, "I meant to ask before I was so rudely distracted by a naked rabbit tackling me, but please tell me there's a shower or a bath close by?"

Judy blinked then widened her eyes. "Oh, um, yes!" she said, "A few doors down on the other side of the hall."

"Good," Nick said and started to sit up, "because we certainly don't want a repeat of the other morning, especially here." Jokes about rabbits and sex aside, he didn't want to walk by Judy's folks smelling like it.

A paw grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back down.

Judy propped herself up, looking at him with raised eyebrows, "Where do you think you're going?" she asked and placed a paw on Nick's belly, slowly rubbing lower.

Nick sucked in a breath as Judy's paw slid over his sheath. His member had retreated back into it, but the touch immediately caused it to twitch. "Uhh, that... shower?" he offered.

Judy hummed then slowly lifted a leg and rolled, straddling Nick and settling her warm, wet sex right on his sheath, messy or not. She was a rabbit after all, and now that she had a partner she loved, she wasn't going to let him leave until she was fully satisfied.

"Oh, Nick," she said with a wicked smile. She leered down at him and ran her fingers through the fur on his chest again, "there's no rush. We have a few hours before my parents get back. We're just getting started, mister."

A slow, uncertain smile spread on Nick's face. _A few hours?_ he thought as his mind recalled the tiring, if pleasurable, activity into the wee hours of Saturday morning, _As nice as that sounds right now..._ "Rabbit," he said, "you are going to be the death of me."

Judy squirmed up so she could look right down into Nick's emerald eyes. She slowly cocked and lowered her head, her lips almost touching his. "Oh, let's hope not just yet, " she said, and kissed him.


	17. Chapter 17 - The Root of the Matter

Nick panted shallowly, staring up at the rounded, low ceiling with half-lidded eyes. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Judy frantically gathering up her clothes into her arms. "Nick! Come on!"

He waved a listless paw at her, his eyes unmoving. "Go," he panted, "save yourself."

Judy sighed melodramatically. Nick exasperated her a lot but not necessarily in a bad way. It was part of his strange charm. "You're the one who asked about the shower!" she exclaimed.

"Can't... move," Nick feigned, chest heaving, and draped his arm over his eyes, "life force depleted... vital essences drained. Judy, I see… I see a light. It looks so warm… Mom… is that you?"

"Oh for the love of... " Judy said. She dropped her own pile of clothes, picked up Nick's and threw them on top of him. "Come on, my parents will be here soon if they're not here already."

Nick grunted as his shirt and boxers landed on top of his face, and slowly sat up. "Like that makes it any better," he said as he swung his legs over the edge of the bed.

To be truthful Judy was spent herself. Her whole body quivered ever so slightly like she were back at the Academy and had just done a round of muscle failure PT, and if she rested she wouldn't want to get back up so had to keep moving.

Nick plucked at the clothing that had fallen into his lap then rubbed a paw up over his neck, feeling the tender spot swelling where Judy had actually bitten him. "Just to see what it was like," she had said. _Well, it was like being pinched by pliers,_ Nick thought, sure he was bruising under the fur there. He looked at Judy, who was now picking her clothes up again, and a thought suddenly came to him. He flung the clothing off his lap and onto the floor in a quick reflex action, as if he caught some insect crawling on him.

"Nick!" Judy barked with irritation, "what are you doing!?"

"Uh," Nick said and nodded to the bundle of clothes Judy clutched to her chest, "it may be a better idea to not rub your clothes all over yourself until we've had that shower..."

Judy looked at Nick for a moment before realization dawned in her eyes. Her arms sprang open as if her clothes were radioactive and she hopped back hastily, the bundle tumbling to the floor. "Right, right, " she said, and paused for a moment. "Well, we have a couple of changes of clothes... if it comes to that." Having to worry about how she smelled all of a sudden was disconcerting; it was never anything she'd paid any thought to before.

"Oh, that won't raise any questions," Nick said dryly as he hopped off the bed, careful to avoid his pile of clothing. "Let's just get that shower," he said, the ache of his muscles apparent in his voice. He put his paws on the small of his back and arched backward with a grunt. "As much as I hate getting wet," he said, then twisted his torso left and right in a stretch, "and aside from not wanting to stink up the place, a hot shower sounds really good about now."

Judy clicked her tongue. "Stop acting like a geriatric and let's go," she said. She paused for a moment and stared at the travel bag, trying to decide whether she should bring it so they could change into fresh clothes once they dried off. They had worn them last night, after all, if only for a few hours. _Plus,_ she thought, _it's not like everyone doesn't already know what we were up to_. She decided against it. The bathroom was just a few doors down anyway. She stepped around her clothing and went to the door, peeking her head out.

Nick pressed close, his head sliding between long rabbit ears as he scanned the hall as well. He knew that being snuggled up against a naked Judy like this should elicit some kind of response, but after the last few hours his libido had packed up, gone home, locked the doors, and shut the curtains.

Judy slowly lifted her eyes to look up at the underside of Nick's muzzle jutting out over her head and sighed, but smiled all the same.

"Well," Nick said, his voice low as he looked back and forth, "good thing I'm not a geriatric. Beating up and molesting the elderly is a crime."

Judy sputtered as she forced down a bark of laughter. "What?" she said and, not having seen or heard anyone close by, stepped out of the room. "Never mind, come on!" she said quietly, closing the door after Nick followed her out. She darted down the hall with Nick scurrying after her close behind, both of them crouched low.

"Why are we sneaking?" Nick whispered.

Judy stopped at a door on the other side of the hall. It looked no different than the others except it had no nameplate, and the space to either side was at least twice the normal distance to the next door. She pulled the door open, glad to see that the room beyond was dark, signifying no one was already in there. As the door swung inward, white lights in the ceiling automatically flicked on. She pulled back and looked at Nick. "I don't know! But do you really want to be the naked fox in a rabbit burrow?" she asked and darted inside.

"Ah," Nick said as he ducked his head, following Judy in and pulling the door closed behind him, "point taken. Although judging from how some of your sisters stared at me earlier, I don't think it would be an unwelcome sight," he muttered.

"Sorry, what was that?" Judy asked with narrowed eyes and in more of a hiss than a question.

"Oh, uh, nothing," Nick bleated. Her glare made him find something on the floor suddenly more interesting.

The 'bathroom' was not so much a bathroom than it was a locker room, reminding Nick of a scaled down version of the locker room at the precinct. The entire room was painted white with blue accents except for the floor, which felt like concrete and was painted in some kind of light gray coating that had a rough, sandpaper-like surface. To complete locker room feel, there was even a short row of lockers along one wall with a low wooden bench in front of them. Across from the lockers were a row of five doored alcoves which Nick initially took as larger lockers or closets before realizing must be toilet stalls. He idly wondered if they had any larger facilities around as those would prove to be a tight fit at best. Beyond the alcoves were a row of five low sinks atop white painted cabinets. A long single pane mirror backed the sinks. Farther back an archway opened up into an area about fifteen feet square, shower heads and controls lining the walls every few feet. The air thick with moisture as well, wet paw prints lingering on the floor, fog clouding the edges of the big mirror, the showers obviously used somewhat recently.

Nick eyed himself in the mirror as they passed, seeing a rather disheveled fox looking back at him. He let a paw trail across the archway into the shower area, noting the cool, solid feel, and slightly rough texture despite the paint. It was obviously concrete, like the floor, and he wondered if the entire burrow was made from it.

"Huh," he said as he looked more intently at the walls.

"What?" Judy asked, stepping to the side as she turned the handle to one of the showers.

"Ack!" Nick exclaimed, his unvoiced question forgotten. He danced back as a spray of needling, fur penetrating, icy water hit his feet. He saw the grin on Judy's face and narrowed his eyes. His gazed darted to one of the other shower heads along the wall, then back to Judy.

Judy raised a finger, seeing the intent in this eyes. "Don't you dare!" she warned, "Nicholas Piberius Wilde, don't you even-"

Nick darted to the wall and cranked a handle with one paw while the other grabbed the shower head and pivoted it on its ball joint, aiming the cold spray of water that erupted at Judy. Whatever was supplying the water certainly provided for some excellent pressure, and the stream easily reached across the small room to Judy.

Judy squealed and tried to dash away, but Nick tracked her with the showerhead, giving no respite. "Stop!" she begged, half giggling as she desperately tried to avoid the cold water with no luck. "You jerk!".

"You started this, rabbit!" he said, grinning maniacally. Judy darted and ducked to no avail as the onslaught of cold water eventually caught up and soaked through her fur.

Judy, still giggling but now chilled to the bone, did the only thing that seemed appropriate. _Okay foxy loxy, let's see how you like some payback,_ she thought. She reached up to the shower she had turned on and pointed the stream back across the room, which earned her a satisfying yelp as now Nick was the one trying to duck and avoid the cold water.

Nick didn't last long, he was tired enough, and now freezing too to top it off. He held up his paws. "I give up!" he spluttered, closing his eyes and turning his muzzle away from the water "I surrender, officer!".

Judy turned her own shower off, giggled and quickly stepped out of the cone of water that Nick had first aimed at her.

Nick leaned back against the wall and reached up to pull the shower head down, but eyed Judy as she started to go from one shower to the next.

"What are..." he started but trailed off. At first he was afraid this was the beginning of some new way to give him hypothermia, but Judy was adjusting the controls and pointing all the shower heads more or less to the center of the room. Judy just smiled up at him as she passed by, pausing to adjust the shower he had used in the fight, then on to the last.

Judy stepped back to Nick and pressed herself up against him for warmth, her arms crossed and pressed to her chest, Nick automatically wrapping his arms around her. "Give... it a minute to warm up," she said through chattering teeth, "W-we used to do this when I was a k-kit. Drove Dad crazy." She wiggled back against Nick, trying to soak up as much of his heat as she could. "He would l-lecture us about wasting the hot water."

Nick chuckled in response as the air cooled and swirled around them. "You rebel, you," he said as he snuggled her back against him. He had started shivering too and hugged Judy harder. "I'm going to steal all your heat."

Judy snorted, teeth still chattering. "D-don't have any left. D-darn heaters are so f-far away," she said, shivering against Nick.

Both were now shivering, teeth clacking as they clutched and pressed against each other. It took nearly half a minute before the air suddenly began to warm. Vapor started to lift off the sprays of water, and steam slowly began to fill the room.

Judy tugged Nick, and they both stepped into the water with a relieved sigh, the water now nearly too hot as it sprayed them from almost all around.

"Ooh," Nick said as Judy snuggled back up, wrapping her arms around him and rubbing her cheek against his lower chest. "Now this is nice."

He ran his paws up and down her back and sighed as he felt his bones begin to warm. His body shielded Judy from much of the spray from behind. The showers to the sides, while spraying them both liberally, were angled down enough not to drown him, his head mostly out of the spray as the shower heads were at his eye level to start with.

"Mmm," Judy hummed, cuddling up against Nick as the hot water, and equally hot fox, banished the cold. It was nice, but as energetic as the icy water initially felt, she suspected if they soaked in this for much longer it would completely sap any energy they had left. As she cuddled against Nick's stomach, she realized she was a bit shaky. _I suppose that's fair after our… activities,_ she thought. She then thought about when she'd eaten last, considering she'd eschewed breakfast at Honey's. The drink and candy bar from the station only went so far. "Okay," she said, and started to pull away from Nick when the bathroom door opened. She closed her eyes. _Of course, someone just had to come in._

Nick's head came up at the noise.

A rabbit, looking like a shorter, younger version of Judy's father, stepped in with only a towel wrapped around his waist, held up with one paw. White wires hung from his ears down to the phone he held in his other paw along with a tube of toothpaste. He was humming some tune enthusiastically, eyes closed, a toothbrush dangling from his muzzle, and completely oblivious to Nick and Judy.

Nick watched with bemusement as the rabbit danced into the room in a little mambo-esque shuffle.

Judy sighed. "I was wondering if we were going to get interrupted," she said and turned slightly in Nick's arms so she could look back to see who had entered.

"Harry!" Judy called.

Harry continued to dance, spinning around and whipping his towel off with a flourish, flinging it over the wooden bench.

"Oh for heaven's sake," Judy muttered. She called again, louder this time to be heard over the hissing noise of the showers and his music. "HARRY!"

Harry started and spun around, eyes wide and going wider as he saw Judy, cuddled up against Nick in the spray of water. His muzzle dropped open, the toothbrush tumbling out to the floor. Very slowly he reached up to pull the earbuds out of his ears, his eyes now focused on Nick.

Nick raised a paw. "Hi, Harry!" he said jovially with a big grin, trying to show off as many teeth as he could.

"I... I... I..." Harry stammered.

Judy was about to apologize to her younger brother, but Nick spoke again.

"You want to join us?" he asked, "plenty of hot water for everybody!"

"Nick!" Judy hissed.

Nick lifted both paws up now and wiggled his fingers. "I could give you a little massage if you like, I am told I have magic fingers," he said in a flamboyant tone, "just ask your sister!"

"Oh good gods," Judy sighed and wiped some water from her face. "Nick, Harry. Harry, Nick. Ignore him, Harry, he thinks he's funny."

Nick snorted. "What do you mean 'think'?" he said, sounding offended, "I know I am."

Harry visibly swallowed; to Nick, he seemed almost paralyzed.

Nick narrowed his eyes. "Are you ogling your sister? Because if you are, that's just wrong. If you're ogling me, well I'm flattered, but sorry I- oof!" he said, cut off with an elbow to the gut before he could finish.

This seemed to break Harry's trance. Suddenly realizing he was standing there naked, staring at his equally naked sister, and a naked fox, thrust his hands down to cover up his groin. "I... uh," he said and started shuffling sideways, leaning over to pick up the towel, quickly cover himself with it, and started backing towards the door. "I'll just, uh, use... one of the other showers," he said, then darted forward to snatch up his toothbrush from the floor before quickly retreating, practically flying out the door.

Nick, rubbing the spot where Judy had elbowed him started laughing. "Oh, that was priceless."

Judy sighed and leaned back against Nick, chuckling a bit herself. "Okay," she says, "I admit, that was pretty funny."

Nick lets his arms drape over Judy and chuckled as well, letting his paws rub down over her chest. "Mmm," he hummed and smooched her between the ears, "wet rabbit."

Judy smiled, the simple gesture making her feel warmer than the hot spray playing over them. She tilted her head back as Nick started to lift his head. "Nuh uh," she said quietly and reached up to pull him back down by a cheek ruff to give a proper, if upside down and rather wet, kiss.

Nick let out a low groan. After everything they had just done, as tired, tender, and spent as he was, it came very close to breaking down the door to libido's house and dragging it kicking and screaming back into the light of day.

Judy turned around, rubbing against Nick as she did, and cuddled up against his front. "Too bad the door doesn't have a lock on it," she said, nuzzling the wet fur of Nick's chest as she pondered what it would be like to have sex in a hot shower like this.

Nick let out a weary chuckle. "You really are going to be the death of me at this rate," he said, pulling Judy against him, "I can see it now. Hero fox found dead in rabbit's bed! Film at 11!"

Judy giggled and leaned back to look up at Nick. "You seriously can't be complaining about having too much sex? I thought that was all you males thought about?"

Nick laughed. He shook his head vigorously, not in answer but to fling some of the water off himself. "Not true, we think equally about food," he said which earned him a snort from Judy. "It wasn't a complaint, though, more a statement of fact. Good thing I'm fresh from six months of being run ragged by Ursula at the Academy."

Judy hummed and smiled up at Nick, letting a finger make a wandering pattern through the wet fur of his chest and down to the firm abs below. "So what you're saying is I need to keep you in shape?"

Nick snorted then chuckled. "If we keep having marathon sex like that, I don't think I'll even need to bother with P.T.," he replied.

Judy giggled again and patted Nick's chest. "Okay, okay, enough flirting, I'm getting waterlogged here," she said and stepped back before she let herself get carried away. She nodded to one of the several white boxes with some kind of lever on the side mounted to the wall between the showers, a long clear portal showing them to be filled with some green fluid. "Shampoo's there," she said and then got an idea, "but I get to do your tail!"

Nick arched an eyebrow. "As long as I get to do yours."

Judy grinned. "Deal," she said.

* * *

"I can't believe you guys don't have body blowers!" Nick whispered as they dashed back to Judy's room. He was carrying an armful of white towels they had pilfered from the supply cabinets under the sinks. Fortunately for him, they were thick and plush. Unfortunately, they were also rabbit sized. While one was easily big enough for Judy, they were nowhere near large enough for Nick and all the water his dense undercoat held. He had gone through three of them back in the bathroom to Judy's one before she just told him to grab an armful.

"We don't need them!" Judy said as they reached her door and quickly opened it. "Rabbits have short fur!" she said then added, "well, we do, anyways." She stepped back into her bedroom. "We don't have that crazy undercoat like-" She stopped and put a paw over her nose. "Oh good gods," she said.

Nick nearly ran into Judy as she suddenly stopped, "Wha-" he started, but was interrupted when he smelled it too, "Ooh, that... that is pretty, uh, aromatic," he said. It mostly smelled like him, but definitely heavy undertones of Judy too. Not necessarily unpleasant if he was being honest; he really liked how Judy smelled, but it was certainly clear what had been going on in here.

Judy pulled Nick the rest of the way into the room, quickly closed the door, and then rushed over to the far wall. She bent down and flicked a lever that made a distinct snapping sound, the slats of a long air vent low on the curved wall flicking open. There was a noise of rushing air as it was sucked into the vent, and he could even hear a slight hissing around the door as air was pulled into the room. The heavy smell of a fox and rabbit started to diminish almost instantly.

"Well," Judy said, resigned, "anyone downwind is going to get a snootful of us."

"They should be so lucky," Nick said dryly and began to set the armful of towels on the bed but thought better about it, instead setting them upon the desk. He plucked one up and began to vigorously rub one of his arms. "I'm going to be damp until tomorrow..." he muttered.

"Oh, don't be a baby," Judy said as she reached down to pick up her t-shirt from the floor

Nick harrumphed, rubbing one of the fresh, rabbit-sized towels over his chest and stomach. He had shaken the bulk of the water off himself back in the shower, but his undercoat was still plenty damp.

"Easy for you to say, you're not the one who'll get a skin infection from having a damp undercoat." Nick loved his luxurious coat, just one of the many things he thought of as a bonus of being a fox. That being said, if he got wet down to the skin and didn't get decently dry, he knew he was just asking for some kind of crud to give him an itchy sore somewhere. They tended to be a devil to get rid of, usually requiring one shave the area, and nothing was so pathetic than a mammal with an obvious shaved spot.

"I'm sure you'll be fine," Judy said distractedly as she looked down at the clothes on the floor. She picked up her t-shirt and gave it shake to air it out, then sniffed it. _Passable_ , she thought, _possibly_. She sighed and looked at the bed, only now wondering how she was going to get the sheets down to the laundry without advertising what they had been up to the last few hours. She then remembered the three kits and Harry... it wasn't going to be any secret, but she didn't want to stink up the hallways with the scent of her and Nick's rutting. "I did not think this through..." she said to herself.

"Hmm?" Nick said, now trying his best to dry his tail.

Judy continued to stare at the bed for a long moment before answering. "I said I didn't think this through," she repeated, coming up blank on how to sneak the bedclothes down to the laundry, "I'm trying to figure out how to get the sheets down to the laundry without stinking up the entire burrow with... well... us."

"Don't you have like a laundry chute or something?" Nick asked.

Judy shook her head, still wracking her mind. "We did," she said absently, "until someone got stuck in it using it as a slide."

"It was you, wasn't it?" Nick accused.

Judy blinked and looked at Nick. "What? No!" she said, "dad walled that up before I was born!"

Nick snickered and Judy realized he was just pulling her tail and she had been too distracted to notice. She stuck her tongue out at him. "Besides, we're expected to do our own laundry, at least the older ones are."

"Don't tell me," Nick said, inspecting his tail,"you have carrot operated washing machines, don't you?"

"Ha ha ha," Judy said sarcastically.

Nick just shook his head, smiling, and said,"Just use a trash bag or something."

"Trash bags?" Judy asked.

"Trash bags!" Nick repeated, eyes on his tail as he carefully worked the towel down into the fur, "I assume you have trash bags around here or something bag-like, at least? Just stuff them in something to take them down."

Judy blinked. "Why didn't I think of that?" she said to herself.

"Because you're a dumb bunny, " Nick said flatly.

Judy sighed and waved her paw at him, determined not to roll her eyes. She gave the t-shirt she was still holding a few more shakes and another sniff. It still seemed okay. She looked down at the travel bag, debating on putting on the spare set of clothes again, but she didn't want to explain that. Her brothers and sisters she wasn't concerned about, but didn't want to have to explain it to her parents. She put a paw to her forehead. _You're over-thinking this Jude_ , she told herself, _you're making a big deal over nothing_.

Nick paused in his drying. "What?" he asked, ears perked.

Judy sighed and shook her head. "Nothing," she said ,"I _am_ being a bit of a dumb bunny." She moved over to Nick and stuffed the shirt against his nose. "What does that smell like?"

Nick blinked at Judy over the crest of the wadded up t-shirt. He raised an eyebrow and inhaled noisily then lifted his head, "It smells like Judy Hopps," he said, "but if you're asking if it smells like what the room did when we walked in, then no."

"Well that's one small mercy," Judy said and pulled the shirt up over her head. When she poked her head up out of the neck, Nick was rummaging around in the travel bag, pulling out her little travel case. He paused and looked at her.

"You mind if I use your brush?" he asked.

Judy shook her head, but held up a finger, "Hold on," she replied and trotted over to the dresser. She opened one of the smaller top drawers and pulled out a much larger, stiffer brush than the one she had in her little case. While that big brush had seemed like a good purchase at the time she had bought it, it had proved to be a bit too large and unwieldy to be very useful. She reached out and handed it to Nick. "Try this."

"Perfect!" Nick replied and attacked his tail with the brush, starting to make quick work of it.

While Nick worked on his tail, Judy finished dressing. Nick was still fussing with his tail as she put the choker back on, reaching back to work the little clasp. She leaned against the desk, watching as Nick reached behind him awkwardly with the brush to get at the base and part of his tail he could not pull around in front of himself. She giggled quietly, but this had given her ideas. _Mmm, that tail..._

"Here," she said and pushed off the desk, reaching out for the big brush, "Let me help."

Nick gave Judy a questioning look but slowly handed the brush over.

"What's that look for?" Judy asked as she took the brush and moved behind Nick.

"Just be... careful. My tail is very sensitive," Nick said, his tail giving a little flick before Judy lightly grabbed it.

"Is it, now?" Judy asked, a mischievous tone leeching into her voice as she started to brush the areas Nick had been reaching for.

Nick's jaw clamped shut as he let out a strangled snort.

Judy blinked, continuing to brush. "What's so funny?"

Nick just shook his head and didn't answer. His whole body had started to go rigid, his paws balled up at his sides. Even his tail was quivering. It tickled, and it took all his willpower not to jump away or snatch his tail back.

Judy raised her eyebrows as she realized what was happening. "Oh my," she said and let her fingers, instead of the brush, work their way into the thick fur near the base of the still-damp tail, "I think someone's tail is ticklish!"

This was too much for Nick. He barked out a laugh and hopped away, jerking his tail from Judy's grasp to clutch it protectively.

Judy laughed at the reaction. "I'll have to remember this for later," she snickered, "I just soaped that thing up in the shower!"

Nick huffed and hugged his tail protectively. "That's different! And don't start a war you can't win, Fluff," he said, "I'll just pin you down and see how you like being tickled."

Judy hummed and smiled, eyes half closing, "Pin me down, you say?"

It was Nick's turn to roll his eyes. "And you say I'm incorrigible..." he mumbled and snatched the brush back from Judy, who giggled in reply.

Judy moved to take her smaller brush out of the travel kit to give her face and head a quick brush down. "It's disappointing, though," she said.

Nick looked up from inspecting his tail, and satisfied he let it drop, giving it a couple of flicks. "What is?"

"Your tail being ticklish like that," Judy said, "because I really want to snuggle it."

Nick chuckled and worked the brush over the rest of his body, testing with fingers now and then to see how damp he still was under his topcoat. "Well, snuggling I think I can stand, just not deliberate tickling," he said as he went over to put the brush back. "I mean, what if I did this?" he said and reached to lightly run his fingers up the backside of one of Judy's long ears.

Judy sucked in a breath and hunched her shoulders before quickly turning to bat her paws at Nick's arm. It didn't tickle though, it was an altogether different, more intimate feeling.

Nick pulled his paw back and laughed, not having expected such a reaction. "Oh my," he chuckled, "that's going to come in useful."

Judy glared briefly and huffed. "I'm surprised it took you this long to find that out."

Nick chuckled and gave a good whole body shake. He looked down at himself, turning his arms over and running one paw against the grain of his fur, "Good enough I think," he said, and reached down to start picking his clothes off the floor. He gave it a sniff, finding some scent still lingering there, and giving each item a few good shakes to air it out. "So," he said as he pulled the shirt on, "what's the plan? I get the grand tour now or what?" He smoothed his paws up over his head after tugging the shirt down.

Judy leaned back against the desk, paws propped on its edge and made a face. "Well, I guess. For this burrow at least."

Nick pulled up his boxers and reached for the jeans. "Hmm? Other two nothing to write home about?"

Judy shrugged. "Not unless you're really interested in burrow building techniques over the past hundred years," she said, idly letting her eyes roam over Nick as he pulled his jeans on. "I mean, the first burrow was built by my great-grandfather, and we only use it for storage these days. The second still has quite a few living there, mostly the families of my sibs who've gotten married."

Nick hummed, fastening buttons and belt, "So, what then?"

Judy raised a paw and rubbed her cheek and shrugged. "Well, meet and greet, I guess? We should make some kind of formal introduction," she said, "I think it's kind of expected at this point."

Nick grimaced lightly. It was going to happen sooner or later, but he felt particularly unnerved when so many rabbits focused attention on him. _There's that old joke about meeting the girlfriend's parents, but this is ridiculous_ , he thought. It wasn't that he was bad at dealing with mammals, he could sell an apartment in Sahara Square to a Polar Bear if he put his mind to it, it was the circumstances of the attention that put him on edge. At least he stopped having daydreams about being chased with the torches and pitchforks through a darkened countryside, but it was still all very awkward.

"Well," Nick said, smoothing down his shirt and checking to make sure his wallet was still in his front pocket, "it's your show, hun, I'll follow your lead."

Judy smiled at his pet name for her. It was the first time Nick had used such an endearment that did not somehow reference her being a rabbit, and it sent a flush of warmth through her. She pushed off the desk. "Come on then," she said, making her way to the door.

Judy led them back down the way they had originally come, taking a right at the main hall to eventually end up at the railing Nick had seen earlier. Although now that they were up close, it was not so much a railing as it was something for someone his height to stumble over and break his neck on the floor twenty feet below.

The open area was an enormous dome, the late afternoon light coming in at an angle that helped light the area through the large, faceted windows that capped the top of the burrow. It was much dimmer now than it was when they had first entered the burrow, but there were plenty of lights to give the whole place a warm feeling. The colors were in line with the rest of the interior, tending towards darker, autumn-like tones.

The inner area had more of an oval or egg shape to it. Above were three more levels of balconies with long ramps that curved a quarter of the way around to the levels above and below. Hallways branched off more regularly above than they appeared to be on this floor. Some of Judy's family were up there too, mostly in pairs talking to each other as they leaned against the railing. A few were staring at and tapping away on phones.

Looking down Nick was hit with a sense of deja vu, another distant memory from one morning when he was a kit, looking down from a balcony to the open area below of some hotel. He remembered being fascinated by the view down into an open dining area where he could watch mammals, eating breakfast and queuing up at the elaborate buffet, without being seen.

There was no buffet here, but one side of the space seemed to be a dining area with enough tables and chairs that the majority of the Hopps family could sit there. The other side, nominally separated by a row of small trees in concrete planters, seemed dedicated to entertainment. Mounted high on the curved wall was an huge curved television, surrounded by a hemisphere of colorful couches, beanbags, and other seating. Scattered around clusters of seating smaller TVs on stands that seemed mostly devoted to playing video games. At one end there was a raised stage, sealed off by a heavy curtain.

There were rabbits, too. Lots of rabbits. Some were watching TV, some were sitting and reading, others were playing video games, and others still were eating either by themselves or in small groups. There was a childish shriek of glee from small group of rabbit kits, dashing around the tables and chairs in some game or the other.

Nick let out a low whistle.

Judy watched Nick take in the sight and smiled. "Welcome to the Hopps burrow, Nick."

"It reminds me of a hotel," Nick said slowly as the memory, now freshly recalled, lingered.

Judy leaned against the railing. "Not far from the truth, honestly," she said, "you just have to clean your own room, and there's no room service."

Nick snorted in amusement and was about to say something snarky about being serviced too much already when a voice from above called out.

"Hey! It's Judy!"

They both looked up. One of the rabbits across from them on the next floor up had looked up from his phone and was now waving enthusiastically.

"Here we go," Judy said under her breath.

Nick wasn't sure he liked that sound of that, his ears splaying out as who knew how many rabbits first looked up at the speaker above, then swiveled heads, following the pointing finger to him and Judy.

"Judy!"

"So that's him, huh?"

"How does that even work?! He's like... huge!"

"Where's Pop-pop?"

Nick swallowed as the comments continued. They ranged from the lewd, to curious. Nick was sure there were a few less than friendly remarks uttered low but not low enough not to reach them from their elevated position.

"It's okay Nick," Judy said, more amused than anything, out of the corner of her muzzle, "let them get it out of their system."

"Easy for-" Nick started to say then spotted one dark-furred rabbit towards the back, lounging on a couch. A dark-furred rabbit with very green eyes that were staring right at him as a big smile spread across her face. She caught his eye and waved coquettishly. "Oh boy," he said, "is that who I think it is?"

"Who?" Judy asked and looked at him then followed his gaze, searching.

"Ten o'clock in the back, on the couch," Nick said.

Judy shifted her gaze and spotted Katherine. "That little..." Judy said, jaw involuntarily clenching.

"How did she get back so quickly?" Nick whispered. The comments and chatter continued but had started to die down.

Judy forced herself to relax. _It's fine_ , she thought, _everything will be fine_. She forced herself to smile. "Must have gotten off at Hayfield and came right back," she said through her teeth waving at everyone one. She made an exaggerated head gesture towards the nearest ramp curving down on the right, indicating to those below they were coming down

Nick groaned inwardly, backing away and following Judy. He really was going to have to deal with this. At least one of Judy's sisters would make a pass at him, he could feel it. Not that it wasn't flattering, but he wasn't thrilled the way it made Judy so jealous. Then there was the way Katherine looked at him... like she was eyeing her next meal.

"That... that... hussy!" Judy hissed.

Nick snorted. _Case in point, but hussy?_ , he thought. Given what he had seen and heard of Judy's siblings so far, Judy seemed to have been hit with a glancing blow from the prudish stick. Or perhaps the anachronistic sayings stick. Or both.

"Yeah, what gives, sistah?" he said with his best Humphrey Hoggart voice to lighten the mood, "That daffy broad s'been flashin' her gams at me all day, see?"

Judy didn't respond, lost in thought as she padded to the staircase.

Nick slouched at bit at her non-reaction. _Well, I thought it was funny._

Judy knew she was feeling irrationally jealous. She tried to pick the feeling apart but found it hard to concentrate. She found herself imagining Katherine in place of her in some of the activities she and Nick had recently been engaged in. A growl rose in her throat as she started down the long curving ramp, one that was more lupine than lapine.

Nick sighed, he could almost feel the heat rising off Judy, then he heard that growl. It would have been adorable under different circumstances. He put a paw on Judy's shoulder.

"Hey," he said. When she continued steaming ahead, he had to exert some pressure. "Hey, hey, Fluff, it's okay."

Judy reluctantly stopped on the ramp but kept her gaze forward, not looking at Nick. "I know," she said, "I know I'm stupid and silly but-"

Nick stopped her and moved in front of her, the ramp putting them a bit more towards eye level. "Look," he said, "you know you don't have to worry about me, right?"

Judy reluctantly met Nick's eyes. She tried to keep her ears from falling down as they heated. She inhaled deeply. "Yes," she said, "it's not you... I mean..." she grunted in frustration at the inability to put her feelings into words. "I know it's stupid-"

"Stop saying that," Nick interrupted, "It's not stupid, and you're not stupid. It's just... well, I'm your first uh, boyfriend, right?"

Judy nodded, her ears heating up even more.

Nick smiled. "Okay, so this is new, and you're insecure. You get a bit slack, so try not to worry."

"I'm-" Judy start but stopped herself before she could say 'not insecure,' but he was right. She sighed and rubbed a paw over her head, smoothing her ears back, "I... I understand it at an intellectual level, but... but..."

"It doesn't help," Nick finished for her. He had dealt with a couple of jealous girlfriends in the past, and he was just as guilty of the same thing on more than one occasion in his past. It was a pretty ugly emotion to deal with, but he wanted to put her at ease as much as possible. He was her first, after all, and now that he thought about it, he didn't think he had ever been anyone's first before.

"No," Judy sighed and looked down, "it doesn't." She raised her paws and let them fall and said, "One moment I'm fine, then Katherine looks at you like that, and all I can think about is punching that smile off her face and screaming 'mine!'"

Nick chuckled. "Welcome to the world of adult relationships," he said then put on his Hoggart voice again and tipped Judy's chin up. "Listen up, I only got eyes for you, sweetheart," he said, 'sweetheart' coming out 'scheweetheart'" then leaned in to kiss her.

Judy's ears flicked back up and she leaned into the kiss, humming. A hundred catcalls and "oohs" arose from the room. Nick and Judy had both forgotten about the chattering roomful as they stopped on the ramp, in full view.

"Get a room!" someone called.

"Where you think they've been?" someone replied, and the room broke up into laughter.

They broke the kiss. Judy's ears were on fire and even Nick's ears and face were heating.

"Better?" Nick asked.

"Yes," Judy said and nuzzled Nick's cheek, "Thank you."

Nick pulled back. "Shall we?" he said and made a sweeping gesture down the ramp.

"Let's," Judy said, smiling but added, "but watch out for Katherine. She's up to something."

Nick chuckled and fell in step behind Judy. "Oh I have no doubt. I know her type," he replied.

"And what type is that?" Judy asked over her shoulder.

"A, uh, how do I say this without being crude. _.._ Um, a female who uses her looks to get her own way," Nick said. Not for the first time Nick thought about how odd it was that he now saw rabbits as attractive, and he certainly found Katherine attractive. The dark fur and green eyes made for a rather striking combination. _Not that Judy is ever going to find that out,_ he thought, _not if I want my internal organs to stay internal._

Judy snorted. "That sounds about right," she said as they reached the bottom of the ramp, "she has always been a troublemaker."

"I'm shocked, shocked I say," Nick said as they waded into the mass of rabbits converging on them.

* * *

For the next hour, Nick and Judy stood for inspection. They answered questions, chuckled good-naturedly at ribbing and jokes about the difficulties of inter-species dating, and generally were there to do what Judy had vaguely planned — to be seen.

Nick felt like a giant, easily a head taller than the tallest rabbit in the room, which did nothing for his nerves. All it did was make him more visible. Someone had put a drink in his paw that turned out to be icy carrot juice with a more than generous shot of what he suspected the carrot vodka. It was not a drink he would normally have, not being a big fan of carrot juice, but he was extremely grateful for it all the same. It was a bit early to be drinking, but it went a long way to relaxing his nerves and he was glad to take a second when someone offered.

Judy's family seemed mostly friendly to him, but some clearly found their relationship odd, and a few found it offensive. The latter made themselves easy to identify by staying in a small group talking amongst themselves while giving occasional glares in Nick and Judy's direction. _To hell with them_ , he thought, _more fox for the rest of them._

Katherine kept her distance, much to his relief. In fact, the next time Nick spotted her she was up on the floor above, leaning over against the railing with several other female rabbits. They were talking about something, Nick suspected it was him, and eyes rarely left him. He did his best to ignore them.

Nick even got to meet the three younger siblings who had so inopportunely knocked on Judy's door earlier, but they had a serious case of Hero Worship and were far more interested in plying Judy with questions about being a police officer than with her dating a fox. He had even gotten into a conversation about music when a trio had come up asking about his guitar. Apparently, there was a kind of informal Hopps family band. Even a still embarrassed Harry made an appearance, stumbling over words as he tried to apologize for 'barging' in on them in the shower.

"I think you have an admirer," Judy said as Harry awkwardly excused himself and walked away.

"Hmm?" Nick said distractedly, turning to Judy.

Judy nodded at Harry making his way through the crowd.

Nick blinked and furrowed his brow.

"Nick, Harry is gay."

Nick stared at Judy for a long moment then his eyebrows shot up. "Wait, you mean...?"

Judy giggled and nodded. She found it odd that Harry's obviously ogling of Nick did not cause that same jealous flare in her as it did when it was Katherine. In fact she... _Okay, Jude. Nope, not thinking about that_ , she scolded herself. _Those thrice damned books_!

"You seriously have not been seeing the looks he's been giving you?" Judy said.

"Uhh, no," Nick replied, the 'no' drawn out. He hadn't even noticed Harry again until he had come up to apologize about the shower. His gaze followed Harry for a moment. "Oh jeez," he said. His teasing in the shower, the elbow to the gut, and overall awkwardness Harry seemed to exude when talking to him were now in a completely different light.

"In fact," Judy said, looking down into her own non-alcoholic drink someone had given her, "I think you're a topic of discussion over there." She nodded in the direction Harry went.

Harry had stopped by a group of other rabbits, all male Nick noted. "Uh, are they all..."

"Uh huh," Judy said into her glass, trying not to laugh.

Nick cleared his throat and his paws automatically moved up to straighten a tie that he did not have on. "Well," he said, letting his paws instead smooth down the front of his shirt,"I guess I should be... flattered... or something. I am devastatingly handsome after all."

Judy giggled quietly, not able to help it. She leaned up against Nick and slipped an arm around him to give him a little hug. "So modest," she cooed.

The crowd that had initially surrounded them had been slowly dissipating, most having going back to whatever it was they had been doing before. Judy released Nick and rubbed a paw over a somewhat sore neck.

"You ready to get out of here?" she asked, ready to go sit down and away from everyone for a bit.

"Yes please," Nick said, now wondering if he was going to have to worry about the Harrys of the Hopps clan in addition to the Katherines. Yesterday, he had been worried about being chased by an angry mob of specist rabbits. Now he was more worried about being molested by an amorous mob of them.

"Okay," Judy said and turned her attention to those who were still milling around near them, "Okay guys, we're going to go sit out in the gazebo."

 _It's like a ripple in a pond_ , Nick thought as what Judy said seemed to propagate throughout the room. A series of waves, see-you-laters, and other pleasantries, some of them rather lewd, were returned.

"Come on Casanova," Judy said, "let's get you out of here before I have to hurt someone." She wasn't serious, however, and in fact that sense of pride about Nick had started to return as she saw how her family seemed to be so accepting of him. Sure there was a minority who didn't like Nick or what was going on, but those types knew better than to raise her ire. _Besides_ , she thought somewhat smugly, _what have they done? Just stayed on the farm while I went out into the world._

Nick tossed back the remainder of the second drink wishing he could remember who had pushed it into his paw, and set the glass down on a passing end table as Judy ushered him back to the ramp. He could use another drink, but that was the borderline lush in him clamoring for 'just _one_ more!'

"You know," he said, "I half expected this place to be like some kind of monastery."

Judy snorted as they started to make their way back up the ramp. "Well, sorry to disappoint you but-"

"No, no, no," Nick said, "I mean… you and your parents are a little… conservative.""

Judy smiled and gave a little laugh. "Okay, well, I guess that's understandable," she said, "I'm not what you would call a 'typical Hopps daughter.'"

Nick arched an eyebrow and looked down at her. "You don't say..." he said.

Judy just shrugged. "Nick, you have just about every facet of society here. It's all a bell curve."

"What do you mean?"

Judy raised her paws and let them fall. "I mean... uh, I actually thought about this before when I moved to here, er, to Zootopia I mean." She gestured at her siblings just as they started to pass the floor of the ground level balcony. "You have your majority that are just easy going simple rabbits content to live and work on the farm and you have your varying degrees of others. Then you have the outliers like Katherine... and I guess me too, who don't or won't just settle for living on a farm here in the middle of nowhere. Not anymore, anyway."

"Well, it's not exactly nowhere," Nick started, but Judy scoffed.

"Remember what you said when we first met? 'Some carrot-choked podunk?'"

Nick's ears splayed out. "Look, I didn't mean-"

Judy waved him off. "No, Nick, yes you did, and you were right," she said, "A year in Zootopia had given me a new perspective. I love it here. It's where I grew up, but... I mean we actually have a Carrot Days Festival for crying out loud! That is mostly put up by my family! If that doesn't qualify with 'podunk' then I don't know what does... outside of, you know, the actual town of Podunk."

Nick chuckled as they reached the ground level landing, but his eyes were looking across to where Katherine and her little group were still lounging against the balcony railing, all staring right at them. _Well, at me,_ he thought and gulped, his ears cocking back.

"Okay, okay, Fluff, you got me there," he said trying to remain nonchalant as he quickly stepped in between Judy and the group to obstruct her line of sight. He didn't know what a rabbit fight looked like, but he didn't really want to see one right now either. "So, where are we going?"

Judy blinked, distracted by her own thoughts about how she felt about Bunnyburrow now. "Hmm? Oh, um, back out front. The gazebo is nice to sit in," she said, "I don't know why more don't take advantage of it. You get to see the sun set behind the hills from there this time of year."

Nick nodded and relaxed as they turned into the dim hallway. "Sounds like a plan," he replied. He absentmindedly examined his arms, feeling down through the fur. "I'm still damp," he said, "sitting out in the warm air sounds like a good idea. Not very humid up here, is it?"

Judy shook her head. "Not like in the city," she said, "but we're also not surrounded by water either."

"Kind of a nice change, if you ask me. I could get used to this," Nick said. It was true. Zootopia was almost miserably humid all year long with the exception of Tundra Town, where it was just miserably cold. Here at the slightly higher elevation and latitude, it was hot but dry.

Judy snorted as they approached the door. "I can't see you living out here," she said and braced herself as the door literally popped open as soon as she turned the latch, the negative pressure ushering in a wave of that hot summer air that ruffled their fur, "I think you would go crazy."

Nick exited with Judy and helped her pull the door closed. "Okay, what is the deal with that difference in air pressure? My ears are popping coming out of there," he said and worked his jaw back and forth and the pressure equalized.

Judy gave a quiet little giggle and started down the veranda towards the large circular gazebo area. She waved at the burrow wall. "So that big window in the common room?" she said, "those panes are propped open. Plus there's several vents scattered over the roof you can't see unless you're almost standing on them. The entire burrow is basically one big chimney."

Nick thought about that for a moment. "Soooo...," he said, "all the rabbits in there-"

"And all the electronics, along with anything else that generates heat," Judy added in.

"And all that, " Nick nodded, "makes for quite an updraft."

"You got it," Judy replied as they reached the Gazebo. She steered him towards one of the several hanging swings on the far side. It used to be one of her favorite places to sit, especially this time of year when the swing directly faced where the sun set during the solstice. It was late afternoon in the middle of summer, and the sun was still high and above the roof, but a weakening afternoon light steadily crept across the floor. "Sit," she said to Nick, who obliged, tucking his tail under and between his legs. It was on the small side for him, and he had nothing to lean his head back against, but it was comfortable enough.

Once Nick was settled Judy hopped up lightly and landed right in Nick's lap making the bench rock backwards, chains that held it up jingling and making metallic creaks.

"Ooph!" Nick huffed then chuckled as Judy wiggled back against him. "Better?" he asked and snaked his arms around her.

Judy nodded, smiling, "Better," she said and reached down between her and Nick's legs, "but one last thing." She grabbed Nick's bushy tail and pulled it up, hugging it against her front. "There," she sighed in contentment.

Nick chuckled and rested his muzzle atop of Judy's head. "Comfy?"

"Very," Judy said then her nose twitched, "Is... is that alcohol on your breath?"

Nick gave a little grunt. "Noticed that, did you?"

Judy reached up and pushed his muzzle up off her head and Nick leaned back. "Whew, hard not to," she said. She wondered where the devil Nick had gotten it, then remembered the drinks they had both been given. She had just had straight up carrot juice, but Nick obviously had been given something entirely different. "What the heck did they give you?"

Nick hummed and leaned back against the backrest, one paw still rubbing Judy's belly in a small circle. "Carrot juice with what I'm pretty sure was vodka," he said, "although I think there was more vodka than juice in that last one." He could feel the warmth spreading out from his belly now after having gulped down the rest of the second drink before leaving the common area. The drinks had been just strong enough to take the edge off, and he was enjoying the mild buzz.

Judy snorted and shook her head. "Who gave it to you?"

"Some rabbit," Nick said simply.

Judy clicked her tongue.

"Seriously, I have no idea," Nick said, "Some little guy with grey fur whose name I don't even think I was told."

"Well that narrows it down," Judy said with resignation and leaned back with Nick. "You okay?" she asked when Nick didn't say anything, "they could not have given you that much..."

"Hmm?" Nick hummed the chuckled, "oh, yeah I'm fine, more than fine, Fluff." Those couple of shots of vodka were just what the doctor ordered, in fact. He relaxed and snuggled Judy against his front, nuzzling down between her ears again. "And I was just thinking about how well things seem to be going." He pushed at the floor with one dangling foot to renew the swings motion.

Judy arched an eyebrow, eyes looking up briefly at Nick's muzzle jutting over her head again before looking back to the hills in the distance and the even more distant mountains.

"So you think it's going well?" she asked curiously.

"You don't?" Nick asked back, "I mean, I have a bad habit of expecting the worst from mammals, and especially prey, but so far everybody seems to be very, um, friendly, and a lot more accepting that I would have thought."

Judy remained quiet for a time. Did she think it was going well? It certainly wasn't going badly. Sure there was her parents. Well, her mother really, who had left off with the promise of renewed arguing. Then there were irritations like Katherine, and heaven help them Pop-Pop whenever he finally showed and learned about Nick, but they all seemed more like annoyances than anything else.

"I... guess you're right," she said, "It does seem to be going okay, doesn't it? I keep forgetting how strange this must be for you."

A high pitched giggle made them both turn their heads. The mob of soccer-ball-chasing kits from when they had first arrived had been replaced with another set. Judy squinted her eyes as one of the kits threw something, realizing it was a boomerang of all things, one of the brightly colored foam ones made for children. The bright yellow thing arched away and came hurtling back. Kit's dived out of the way, shrieking and giggling. Apparently, the object of the game was not to get hit when the thing returned.

Nick chuckled at the antics. "You guys are cute when you're that age," he said, completely forgetting about the 'c' word until he felt Judy tense up.

Judy was about to scold Nick about using that word but moderated her response. "Okay, you can say cute when you're around me, but for heaven's sake don't go using that with any other rabbits around!"

"Yes ma'am," Nick said, chagrined, "Sorry."

"It's okay," Judy sighed then realized she was still pretty thirsty. They had been _busy_ for a while, after all, and that one small glass of juice just wasn't cutting it. "Hey, you thirsty?" she asked.

"Gods yes," Nick groaned. He was thirsty before, and the alcohol was not doing him any favors in that regards.

Judy scooted off Nick's lap, and Nick started to follow, but Judy stopped him. "No, just relax," Judy said and started walking backward. "I'm going to my parents' private sanctum," she said, making quote marks in the air. "It's a lot more... uh, cozy. You would have to lean over."

Nick relaxed back into the bench again. "Alright then," he said and stretched his arms out along the top of the backrest, "I'm just going to rest my eyes for a bit."

Judy snorted. "I'm sure," she said and turned around, trotting back to the door. Once inside she turned left. The hall was short and ended in a pair of rabbit-sized double doors. She opened them and stepped through into her parents' personal residence that occupied nearly a quarter of this floor.

The doors opened first into what her dad called 'the mud room' with a row of hooks along the walls, benches, and various pairs of rarely used knee high boots lined up neatly to one side. Through the next door, she stepped directly into her parent's kitchen. The counter along the outer wall had a large round window above the sink that looked directly out onto the gazebo. She could actually see Nick through it, if at a slight angle.

She listened for a few seconds, not sure if her parents were home yet or not, but then spied a few bags of produce and a pile of mail on the island table. She didn't hear anything and padded over to open a cabinet. She pulled a pair of large glasses out and set them on the counter. Large was relative to her own size, and they were a bit on the small side to Nick. She shrugged, she would take a pitcher of water out or...

"Yes!" she said in triumph as she saw the mostly full jug of iced tea sitting in her parent's refrigerator.

She went back to collect the glasses and filled them with ice. She was about to pick up the jug again and head out when she heard Nick talking to someone. She peered out the window and saw the group of kits who had been tossing the boomerang were now peering over the edge of the raised gazebo floor. She paused and leaned on the counter, content to watch this play out for the time being.

The kits eventually came up onto the gazebo through a secondary entrance at its front and walked over to look up at Nick with wide, curious eyes. Judy watched as the kits asked questions and Nick answered, smiling at how Nick seemed to be a natural when dealing with kids.

She heard one of the doors that lead off to another part of the residence opened and Judy's smile fell some. She didn't turn, and that awkward pause as the door opened then finally closed told her it was her mother. Footsteps moved up behind her, and after a minute of watching Judy watching Nick and the kits, her mother spoke.

"You really do love him, don't you?" Bonnie asked, said in that way that was more a statement of fact than a real question.

A slow smile returned to Judy's face, and she took a slow, deep breath. "Yeah, mom. I really do."

She did love Nick — loved him more than anything else. Not for the first time she was amazed and puzzled at how easily Nick had replaced almost every focus in her life. Granted, that focus had mostly been her job, but still after so many years of her obsessive desire to become a police officer, it all now took a second seat to Nick. Her analytical side knew that same suddenness was just the heady initial beginnings of a relationship that everyone went through. She may be inexperienced in the ways of love, but she had seen it enough in others, and taken a few psych courses, to abstractly recognize infatuation. It hadn't come from nowhere, either. Gods knew she had spent months ignoring and suppressing her feelings, but that wasn't the point. She had just... fallen in love? Is that how it happened? It wasn't like it had been some conscious decision. When Nick had let his true feelings be known out in the parking lot the other night it all just... boiled over. Even over all the trouble that had sprung up. Being in the paper, being literally stalked by a photographer, her parents, the Chief, all of it... deep down she was giddy and deliriously happy.

Judy's eyes glazed in thought, the silence stretching out.

Bonnie moved away after a time. "Well," she said as she started pulling the fresh produce from the bags, "I can't say I'm really that surprised." She paused for a moment and looked up in thought. "I always knew," she said, "that you'd be the one, even when you were a were just a tiny thing."

Judy shook her head and blinked, pulling her eyes away from Nick, who was still talking to the kits. She turned and moved to help her with getting the various vegetables out, leftovers that had not sold at the stand. "The one what?" she asked, curious.

Bonnie paused and leaned one hip against the counter. "You usually only see them in bigger rabbit families like ours, but they're the ones to stand apart, like you," she said with no accusation in her tone.

Judy paused and set a pair of large potatoes down. "So you think I'm that one?"

Bonnie waved a paw at Judy. "Oh, of course you are," she said, "have been since you were old enough to walk. Smart, fearless... determined to a fault." Bonnie began to smile. "When you were, what? Nine? Ten? You suddenly went from wanting to be an astronaut to a police officer. I asked you why they change, do you remember that?"

Judy's eyes went distant, and she recalled the memory with a clarity Nick would find alarming. It had been shortly before the carrot days festival where she put on her big production about Zootopia. "I said... I said we don't need more good astronauts, we need more good police."

Bonnie gave a little laugh and shook her head. "That memory of yours... but yes, that's what you said... that coming out of an eight-year-old!" she chuckled but then quickly sobered, "I guess we never really gave up the hope it was just some kind of a phase, but I knew." She turned around starting to clear out the last of the bags. "And just look at you now," she said, a true sound of pride in her voice that Judy rarely heard.

Judy crossed her arms, hugging herself lightly. This was a strange conversation, and it was making her feel a bit uncomfortable for some reason. She had come here spring loaded, defensive and ready to defend herself and her actions. _And Nick,_ she thought. But this subdued almost sad version of her mother left her unsure. It almost sounded like her mother was talking as if she were dead.

"Mom, I-" Judy started, but Bonnie interrupted by holding up a paw and facing her.

Bonnie took in a big breath and looked down for a moment as she collected her thoughts. "You know how protective I am of my kits," she said.

Judy smiled lopsidedly. "Oh we know, Mom," she said. Her voice teetered on the edge of sarcasm.

"Yes, well," Bonnie said and clasped her paws together, starting to fidget much the way Judy herself did, "I know I've been a busybody, and that I really should not have made those calls yesterday morning." She looked up and smiled. "Saying that I was the famous Judy Hopps' mother came in very handy," she said in a pleased tone.

Judy raised her eyebrows, she was still pretty ticked about that. "I'm sure," she said flatly.

Bonnie's smile faltered. "Ah, yes, well," she said and cleared her throat, "Ahem, um. Well, I guess what I want to say is I... we'll stop... um..."

"Interfering?" Judy said helpfully, "Meddling? Smothering?"

Bonnie's inner ears went pink, and she held her paws up. "Yes, yes, but it's not-" she said.

Judy arched one eyebrow, arms crossed more deliberately and cut her mother off. "So, no more-" she began but was, in turn, cut off by her father popping through the same door her mother had come through.

"Hey Bon, did you-" Stu said and stopped. His eyes went a little wide as he looked back and forth between the two females obviously in mid-discussion. "Uh, I'll just, um," Stu stammered and pointed slowly back through the open door, other paw still on the handle, "I'll just go... fold laundry."

"Don't you go anywhere, Stewart Hopps!" Bonnie said, "you're a part of this, too."

Stu's shoulders slumped, and he reluctantly turned back towards the two of them. "Oh, come on, " he said, "didn't you two argue enough already?"

"We're not arguing!" both Bonnie and Judy said at the same time, a bit more sharply than either of them intended.

Judy internally shook her head at her father. She loved him dearly, but if there was one rabbit in this world who hated confrontation it was him. She raised her paws to her parents. "You know, this is what I don't get. When I first left for Zootopia, " she said then pointed a finger at her father, " _You_ were the one trying to send me off with all that Fox-Away stuff."

Stu avoided Judy's glare and stuffed his paws in his pockets.

Judy then pointed at her mother. "And _you_ were being the sensible one," she said then quickly added, "not that both of you were not being totally specist." She lifted her paws and let them drop. "It's like you two swapped sides or something!"

Both Bonnie and Stu started to talk at once, and the two exchange looks. Bonnie shrugged and made a 'go ahead' gesture at Stu.

Stu sighed and pulled his paws from his pockets and instead took his hat off. He slid one paw back over his head and then unconsciously started to wring his hat. "Look, Jude," he started, "you're going to do whatever you want to do. We know that."

Judy opened her mouth to retort, but Stu held a paw up.

"Let me finish!" he said with more irritation in his voice than Judy could remember for a long time.

Judy shut her mouth and re-crossed her arms again, listening.

Stu took a breath and collected himself, clearly not enjoying being put on the spot like this. "Ever since you made it through the academy, " he said, "and especially after all that, you know, that... excitement around the savage mammals..."

Judy's eyebrows raised. Excitement was certainly one way to put nearly being killed, more than once.

Stu looked again at Bonnie who just nodded in encouragement. "Well," he continued, "A lot of your brothers and sisters, especially the little ones, want to follow in your footsteps."

"Not to mention these little weekend trips to the city that have started up!" Bonnie added, "Honestly Judy, I don't know how anyone can stand it. Your father and I nearly got stepped on when we came to visit! Twice!"

Judy didn't let any expression show, but it was true that deaths and accidents from being stepped on or crushed, while not excessively common, did happen. _Not that they need to know that.  
_  
Stu's expression had grown distant. "And the teeth," he said quietly, "so many teeth..."

Bonnie looked thoughtful too. "Your father has a point there," she said, "I've never been surrounded by so many pointy fangs in all my life."

Judy groaned and rolled her eyes. This old myth again. "Nobody eats anybody anymore, you guys!" she said with exasperation.

"What about that, " Stu started but shut up with Judy pointed a finger at him.

"The Butcher of Outback Island doesn't count!" she said hotly, "one crazy dingo hardly even counts as a valid statistic!"

Bonnie raised her paws. "Okay, okay!" she said, "let's not start yelling, for heaven's sake."

Judy crossed her arms again in a huff. "I wasn't yelling," she said in in a quieter voice, sounding more petulant than she liked.

Bonnie and Stu exchanged looks. Stu shrugged, and Bonnie sighed.

"What you're father is trying to say is that we... " Bonnie started and exchanged another quick glance with Stu, "is that we... um, are concerned about the effect you're having on your siblings."

Judy's eyebrows slowly rose up. Her siblings? She looked back and forth at her parents and narrowed her eyes, a slow anger starting to boil. "Let me get this straight," she said coolly, "I've done something amazing and become the first rabbit police officer in the history of Zootopia, brought pride to our family, and you're mad that I've shown my brothers and sisters that there's something more to the world than... than this carrot-choked podunk?!" Judy knew that was a low blow and immediately regretted saying it.

"Judy!" Bonnie said, aghast.

"Excuse me?" Stu said, his calm tone belying the anger that seemed to suddenly radiate from him. "What did you say?"

"Stu..." Bonnie said, turning her head, sounding concerned.

Judy, ready to fire back, stopped at the look her father was giving her. She had gone a bit too far with that she admitted to herself, but so was so tired of all this."I-" she started to say before Stu cut her off.

"This… carrot-choked podunk," Stu started in that same calm tone, but with each word his voice rose until he was almost shouting, "I built with my own two paws! This carrot-choked podunk put a roof over your head, clothes on your back, and food in your belly before you turned your back on it!" Stu was pointing a shaking paw at Judy as he seethed.

Judy's ears instantly fell and she stared at her father, stunned. She had _never_ , in her entire life, seen her father lose his temper like this, and it left her for at loss for words. Her eyes began to tear up and her breath hitched in her throat. "I… I…" she said, voice starting to crack, and she put her paws over her eyes and let out a single, brief sob, unable to stop herself. "D-dad, I-"

Stu's anger vanished as quickly as it had come, his own eyes glistening. He wrung the hat in his paws and looked down. "Oh, gosh darnit," he said, his own voice wavering, "this is why I just wanted to go fold the laundry!"

Bonnie stepped forward and raised her paws. "Okay, okay, everyone, let's just breathe for a second," she said, playing peacemaker and looking a bit shocked herself at her husband's outburst.

"I... I don't know what you want me to do!" Judy said, wrestling herself mostly under control. She was still reeling from her father's anger, but she was angry too. She let her arms fall. "But I'm not moving home! I'm not quitting the force! I never asked for this… this," she said, waving a paw as she tried to find the right words, "notoriety, being in the paper, everything! It all just... happened!"

Bonnie thought a moment, and lifted a paw to speak, but apparently decided against it.

Judy started to pace back and forth a few short steps, her paws grasping and starting to pull on her ears. "I'm tired of you two trying to run my life from afar! I'm tired of worried calls when I don't promptly answer texts or emails!"

She stopped and pointed a finger at her mother, "And don't think I don't know about you trying to set me up with those bucks who just happen to stop by to 'drop something off' or are on some convenient 'errand' when I'm here to visit."

Bonnie sighed, her shoulders heavy with the weight of the outburst Judy had just laid into her and Stu. "Judy, I'll admit we've perhaps been a bit too… invasive, but you know it's just because we're worried, right? You can't fault two country rabbits for being concerned for their daughter."

It was Judy's turn to sigh as her anger began to ebb. "No, I know that, mom, but-"

"-But please understand, this is about more than just you," Bonnie interjected. Stu was rubbing two fingers between his eyes and looking everywhere but at Bonnie or Judy. "It's not just that we're worried-"

"Paranoid," Judy cut in.

Bonnie glared briefly then continued. "Worried," she said again with deliberate emphasis, "about you and your brothers and sisters, although we certainly are." Bonnie paused and obviously was trying to keep her emotions in check as the thoughts of what could happen to her children in the city flashed unbidden through her mind. Her jaw worked and she swallowed before taking a slow, calming breath, "I've lost enough kits over the years to want to lose anymore to that city, but... it's about the farm too. Did you know that over two dozen are actually looking for jobs in the city now? Looking to move there? And a lot of the little ones are clamoring to visit the city too if not wanting to be police officers like their big, famous, sister!"

Judy blinked. She knew there were a few who were thinking of moving to ZT, at least. She had gotten enough questions over the past year that some wanting to move to the city didn't really surprise her at all, but to date, none of them had actually made that leap. As for the kits, well, they were kits. If any of them actually made it into the Academy and made it through she would eat her orange meter maid vest.

"Well," she said, "I knew a few were..."

Bonnie snorted. "Quite a bit more than a few," she said, "most of them think we don't know, but that's beside the point."

"So, you're not only worried about the big scary city, but you're also worried about losing your labor force?" Judy said, incredulous.

"Well," Bonnie said, looking a bit chastened, "when you put it like that..."

"It's not like we're running some… work gang or something," Stu said, finally gathering himself enough to rejoin the conversation, "we're not worried about this year or the next. It's just your mother and I aren't getting any younger. We'll be looking to hand the farm over in the next ten to fifteen years, and we're worried that if too many move away of what we'll be handing over. That's what happened to the Hase burrow way back when."

"The who?" Judy asked, never having heard of them before.

Stu waved a paw. "Oh way before you were born, heck when I was just a kid," he said and paused to put his hat back on after smoothing his ears back. "The old buck was a real piece of work and drove most of the family away and he couldn't maintain it anymore." He paused and rubbed a paw tiredly over his face. "Point is if we mechanise to compensate, there goes our profit margin. That or we either start to scale back, let fields go fallow or do like old Hase did and sell the farm… and then what?"

Judy could see that this prospect was a serious concern of theirs, and she admitted that she had not even attempted to see things from their side until now. She always had seen it in a very narrow view of them just being meddling helicopter parents. She took a deep breath. She didn't want to fight anymore. The past few days had been enough.

"Okay," she said, deciding to throw them a bone to just be done with it, "I admit I may have been a bit... selfish. I never really considered it from your point of view, but you don't have anything to worry about." She made a lazy wave in the direction of the other burrows. "I mean burrow two is a quarter full of your sons and daughters in laws and their kits as it is!"

Bonnie sighed. "We know," she said, still fidgeting with her fingers, "It's just... like your father said we're not getting any younger, and these are the kinds of things that keep us up at night."

Judy smoothed her paws back over her ears, tugging on them briefly once more. "Okay, so... big scary city and you don't want everybody packing up to move to said big scary city," she said and shrugged, "I don't know what you want me to do."

Bonnie and Stu looked at each other. "Well," Bonnie said, "can you just... not make it seem so... I don't know what the right word is. Glamorous?"

"Exciting?" Stu offered.

"Interesting?" Bonnie followed immediately.

"Fun?"

Judy groaned and held up her paws. They were being so utterly ridiculous. She dearly hoped that someday her parents' unwavering view that Zootopia was was going to eat their kits up either literally or metaphorically would abate. _Maybe I should set them with some all-expense paid trip to the city or something,_ she pondered, _I could call in a favor from Mister Big. He owns that casino resort down on the waterfront. Wine and dine them, show them the city isn't a gaping maw that swallows rabbits whole… then again trying to show them the city by asking a crime lord for a favor may not be the best idea you've had, Jude._ She shook her head and refocused; it was an idea that deserved some more thought, but not now.

"Look, I don't sugarcoat anything," she said, trying not to sound exasperated, "but I'm not going to just make stuff up and-" She paused. She did often have to tell stories about what it was like living in the big city. Sure, it had its allure, but it had its share of dark and depressing tales too. Now that she thought about it, she did tend not to relate those kinds of stories to the younger ones. "Well, okay," she continued slowly, "I kind of do avoid telling the younger ones about the more, um, darker parts of my job," she admitted, "but I don't know what I can do about that. What, do you want me to scare them or something?"

"Ooh, could you?" Bonnie said, her ears perking up at the idea.

"That'd be great!" Stu said, as if it was the best idea he'd heard all day.

Judy closed her eyes and rubbed between them. "You guys," she sighed. She thought for a moment then shrugged. "Look, I'm not going to lie or whatever for you two," she said and looked down then shook her head, going over options. She couldn't lie or just stop talking about the city and her job, so what could she do to at least soothe her parents concerns? They were right, in their own insufferable way, at least about the farm, but so was she.

"The best I can do is be honest with them," she said finally. "Zootopia is a great place, but it's not an _easy_ place to live, either. That being said, the groups going to visit like the ones I saw today? Well, that carrot is already _very_ cooked."

"There certainly is that," Bonnie said with a resigned sigh of her own.

Nobody spoke and the silence started to stretch out as they all looked at each other and Judy had to say something.

"Are we done?" she asked, "I'll try not to make the city sound as… amazing, I guess. Might even tell the little ones about patrolling near the homeless mammal shelters or something. Can we call this issue settled, for now at least?"

Bonnie and Stu looked at each other.

"I… suppose," Bonnie said.

Stu shrugged, rubbing his neck with one paw, looking a bit drawn.

"Okay, good," Judy said, relieved. She loved her parents dearly and fighting with them like this just left her feeling drained more than she already was. She could even feel that quiver in her legs starting up again as the adrenaline ebbed from her system. Her ears perked up as one other thing popped into her mind. "And just to be clear here, me dating Nick is fine?"

"Um, well," Stu said and looked at Bonnie.

"I wouldn't exactly say _fine_ ," Bonnie said slowly, "but, well, when's the last time someone in love listened to advice?"

"So you _do_ mind?" Judy probed.

Bonnie opened her mouth then shut it. Stu looked lost. Obviously, this was a subject neither was comfortable discussing.

Bonnie looked up after a few moments. "Judy, we could not possibly be more proud of you," she said.

"Truth," Stu added, raising a solemn paw.

"Not that we thought you wouldn't make it. You're doing something we never thought a bunny could do, it's just you're not exactly," Bonnie said then paused, "um, you know..."

"You've never had a boyfriend, Jude," Stu added, hooking his thumbs into his suspenders. "Heck, we were starting to wonder if you were gay!"

"What?!" Judy squawked.

"Stewart!" Bonnie snapped, brow furrowed.

"What?" Stu said, looking back and forth with incomprehension.

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Oh, honestly Stu, " she said and turned to Judy, "not that it would matter, it's just you never showed any interest in anyone. Well, except for Bill, and we all see how well that turned out."

Judy wasn't sure what that was supposed to mean. Until Bill and Jackie started dating they had only met Bill once ten years ago and had only been vaguely aware of his and Judy's very brief relationship, if you could even call it that. She was about to ask, but before she could Bonnie continued.

"What we mean to say is that..." Bonnie faltered for a moment as her eyes darted around as she looked for the right words, "not counting Bill,"

"I don't," Judy said, her arms crossing unconsciously again.

"Yes, and well," Bonnie continued, "aside from his... colorful past, Nick is your first... love, right?"

Judy nodded slowly. "Yes, that is accurate," she said calmly, not particularly liking where this was going. It smacked all too much of a backhanded way of telling her how naive she was, again, and she was mighty tired of that.

"Well..." Bonnie said, "the first one is always... intense, I guess is the word." She looked at Stu who nodded.

"Yup," Stu said, a bit of a smile creeping onto his muzzle, "I remember-"

"Not now, Stu!" Bonnie interrupted

"Oh, right, sorry," Stu said and looked down, clearing his throat.

Bonnie turned back to Judy. "We were just afraid that... um..."

Judy snorted. "That some sly fox is taking me for a ride?" she finished. Her parents may be making inroads on changing their view of foxes, and predators in general, but it seemed it only really extended as far as the ones they personally knew, i.e. Gideon Grey. _And Nick, now,_ she thought, _at least I hope._

Bonnie and Stu exchanged yet another one of those parental looks.

"Something like that," Bonnie said but quickly added, "your father and I had plenty of time to talk about it this afternoon, and after meeting him we're okay with it, we guess. Not thrilled, though. Mind you not everybody else is either, for that matter. Honestly, with you being you, and after seeing how he look at you and you look at him... well, if it does work out, we're glad you found someone. Even if he happens to be a fox."

If Judy's eyebrows could climb off her head, they would have.

"I... I honestly never expected I would hear those words come out of your mouth," Judy said after a brief silence.

Stu managed a tired chuckle, and Bonnie waved her paws at Judy as she moved over to a cabinet, leaning over to start fishing pots and pans out. The simple action had the added effect of draining the remaining tension from the room as well.

"We're not completely backward out here in the sticks," Stu said, putting on a thicker country drawl that reminded Judy of Honey.

"I never said-" Judy started to protest but Stu waved her off.

"Oh, I'm just fooling with you," he said with a grin.

Judy clicked her tongue. Why did all the males in her life make her eyeballs want to spin around in her head?

"Oh Stu," Bonnie said then looked to Judy, "but your father's not wrong. We know times are changing, and that the world isn't the same place it was when we were your age. A lot of that is thanks to you, hon. So, well, I did say you were 'the one.' It just seems to fit. I must say having a fox son-in-law is not something I would ever have expected, even out of you."

Judy's blinked, stunned for a moment before her pulled herself back together. "Mom! We're not getting married! For crying out loud, we just started dating!"

Bonnie snorted as she took a large pot over to the sink and started to fill it with water. "Well," she said, "that may be so, but a mother can sense these things," she said.

"Huh," Stu said, rocking on his feet and pulling at his suspenders, eyes lost in thought, "Boy, I wonder what ole Gid would say," he said in an amused tone.

Bonnie gave a little laugh that drew both Judy and her father's attention. She turned off the water as she continued to look out the round window above the sink. "Well, would you look at that," she said.

Judy and Stu padded over. Nick was now sitting on the gazebo floor with at least three kits climbing on him.

Judy gave a quiet little giggle but also wondered how much of that yelling Nick had heard, there was no way that went unnoticed, even with the window closed. "I should probably go rescue him," she said and gathered up the glasses and pitcher of iced tea, "he has to be wondering where I got to."

Stu chuckled. "They do that to Gid, too, when he's over," Stu said.

Judy just shook her head as she headed towards the door. _To Gid too when he's over_ , Judy mused. Life was getting so strange.

"Can I go fold the laundry now?" Stu asked.

"Stu," Bonnie said evenly, "when have you _ever_ folded the laundry?"

* * *

 **Authors Note:**

The second to last of what my editor Mord calls "The Nick and Judy dating adventures" part of the story arc. Came out twice as long as originally intended, kind organically grew. Characters don't always do what you tell them to!

Again I can't say more good things about my three main editors. Mord is a wizard at the technical aspects of writing, Matt Platts has had great ideas for lines and changes, and Gotriss Nholf, my non native english speaker, who catches all the strange stuff the rest of us miss! Would be half the story it is without you guys!


	18. Chapter 18 - A Quiet Dinner - Mostly

Nick watched Judy trot down the veranda, smiling wryly as she fought the door again before disappearing inside. He looked around idly; the kits were still throwing the boomerang around while a few other rabbits dotted the surrounding area out and about. None of them were paying Judy and him any attention.

That was fine by him. After getting the third degree from her family inside, he was perfectly content to be out of the limelight.

He was rather surprised at the overall reaction to his presence. He had not really known what to expect. He'd been basing everything off his own preconceived notions of what a big family of country rabbits were going to think of him, regardless of Judy's protestations that everything would be okay. That phone call between Judy and her parents had done little to assuage those notions either. However, despite his imaginations best efforts to terrorize him, things had turned out far better than he had could have imagined. If anything, ideas of being chased by a pitchforked mob had been replaced by visions of being dragged into one of those many bedrooms by a gaggle of Judy's sisters. _And possibly Harry_ , Nick mused.

He yawned, his muzzle creaking as it opened wide, then stretched. He pushed his arms and legs out and leaned back, lacing his fingers together behind his head as his eyes drifted closed.

"When you got it, you got it," he said to himself.. He grinned, letting his teeth show. _Such big fangs,_ he thought. _My best attribute._ All the positive attention was rather flattering, and his ego was definitely feeling pleased with itself. He yawned again and arched his back briefly. "I am going to sleep like a rock tonight," he mumbled to himself.

He tried not to get too comfortable, mostly resisting the temptation to just let himself fall asleep. His mind wandered languidly over the day's events. As days went, it had been the pretty eventful. In fact, it had probably been the most eventful day of his life. _Heck, the most eventful week of my life_ , he thought. From graduation, Friday night, everything that happened Saturday, and today where he let his secret about the money out to meeting who knew how many of Judy's family just now, it had all been a whirlwind of new and unexpected events. He tried to remember how quickly he acquired vacation time, because he already needed one.

His thoughts drifted once more, and he started to lose track of time when a nearby noise caught his attention. An ear automatically cocked in the direction of the sound of hushed whispering. He cracked one sleepy eye open and saw a half-dozen small rabbit heads duck back down from where they had been peering over the edge of the elevated floor. All except for one who looked particularly young and seemed to be standing on tiptoes to see, small paws gripping the lip of the floor. An arm quickly came up and pulled the younger one down.

"You know," Nick said, "if you're hiding behind something you might want to make sure your ears are not sticking up."

A half dozen pair of ears vanished almost instantly, and Nick chuckled, letting his eye close as more hushed whispering started up. It eventually tapered off, and one small, male voice hesitantly spoke.

"You're our sister's boyfriend?"

"That is correct," Nick said, smile still on his muzzle.

"But you're a fox!" said another voice, a girl this time.

"That's very observant of you," Nick replied and was met with a puzzled silence.

"But... but you're a fox!" the girl eventually said again, more insistent this time.

Nick snorted and finally opened his eyes. He turned and looked the gaggle of rabbit kits now peering at him through the balusters of the railing. They collectively ducked back down, but only a little bit, ears again up with curiosity.

"Well," he said, "I don't see why that matters."

"Pop-Pop says foxeses eat rabbits!" said the small girl, who was doing her best to keep her head up over the edge of the decking.

Nick rolled his eyes. "Ahh yes," he said, "this mysterious Pop Pop I keep hearing about. I guess he doesn't like foxes?" Nick was getting rather curious about this remaining grandparent of Judy's who had such a dim view of his species.

The small kit spoke up again. "He says yer red 'cus yer made by the devil!"

Nick held back a bark of laughter. He had been called a lot of things in his life, and this was not exactly new if never put quite so cutely. This Pop-Pop was becoming quite the colorful character in his mind's eye. He raised his eyebrows theatrically, and the several of the other kits made shushing noises at their younger sister who stuck her tongue out at them.

"Which devil?" he asked the peering kits.

"Huh?" the girl said, the rest of the group looking equally puzzled.

"Which devil? I mean there's..." Nick said then waved his paws; he wasn't about to get into a theological debate with a bunch of pre-schoolers. "Never mind," he said, forcing down a yawn, "but no, alas, I was not made by the devil. I mean, I'm pretty sure I would know if I were. Nope! I was made by my mom and dad just like you guys were made by your mom and dad!"

The kits looked back and forth at each other for a moment before another one of the girls spoke up.

"How did they make you?"

Nick's ears splayed out. "Uh…" Nick said. _Don't rabbits just… know this stuff?_ He cleared his throat. "Ahem, um, well, you know when a-" he started but one of the young boys cut him off.

"Pop-Pop said foxes are made of mud and blood!"

Nick blinked and stared at the Kit for a long moment. Too long as it turned out as the kit ducked his head down below the decking. He shook himself. "Okay, look guys, I was not made by the devil, and I am certainly not made of mud and blood," he made a little shooing motion, "If you want to know the details go ask your mom and dad."

"Well, you better not eat anyone!" said one of the darker furred girls, sounding as stern as someone her size and age could, "Our sister is a police officer and she'll put you in jail!"

Nick couldn't help chuckling. He supposed kits this age didn't keep up on the news. "I know she's a police officer," he said, leaning over and resting his elbows on his knees, the seat swinging slightly, supporting chain ticking and creaking. "I mean we are dating after all. Besides, I'm her partner."

This created a shocked silence. Wide eyes looked back and forth for a moment then back at him.

"Nuh uh!" one of the other boys said.

Nick straightened up and put a paw over his heart and the other up with two fingers. "Scout's honor," he said, "Just like your sister is the first rabbit police officer, I'm the first fox police officer. In fact, your sister is why I became one!"

The group stared at him wide eyed for a second then as one came tearing up the stairs on the front of the gazebo, questions start to rattle off like gunshots.

"Was it hard?"

"Did that bear make you run around in circles all day?"

"Can I go to the academy? I want to be a police officer too!"

"Can you make me a deputy?"

"Me too!"

"Yeah!"

"I don' wanna be a police officer! I wanna be a lounge singer!" said the youngest girl.

Nick snorted, holding back another bark of laughter. "A lounge singer?" he asked, "do you even know what a lounge singer is?"

The girl nodded. "Uh huh! You lay onna piano and sing!"

Nick chuckled. "Somebody has been watching too much TV," he said, which earned him an adorable scowl from the girl. He held up his paws. "But, okay, I've heard of stranger things," he said. He looked down at the group smiling and careful to keep his teeth under cover this time. He debated asking each their names, but doubted he would remember them. "So all of you want to be police officers?" he asked then added, "Except for our budding singer here."

All the kits nodded enthusiastically with the exception of the one who still looked miffed at him. They all inched closer; ears perked to attention.

Nick nodded and hummed to himself. "Well," he said, "To start, no, I can't make anyone a deputy. Zootopia has a city police force, and there are no deputies. It's county sheriffs that have deputies."

He thought to the other questions they had asked and continued. "And yes, it was hard. Yes, that bear made us run in circles, squares, triangles. You name it, we ran it. " He rubbed his chin theatrically, giving the kits a critical eye. "And to get into the academy, you have to first take an entrance exam and a physical fitness test, but those are easy. Then you have to be accepted into the academy, they just don't let any mammal in, you know. Then you have to make it through the academy, and that is really hard, especially for us smaller mammals. Just ask your sister."

"We did!" answered nearly all of the group.

Nick grinned. His feelings about children were ambivalent. At least they used to be, but this group went beyond the dreaded C word and into downright adorable. He was about to respond, muzzle open, when he heard a rising voice from beyond the closed round window, and turned his head.

"... your head, clothes on your back, and food in your belly before you turned your back on it!"

Nick's ears flattened back, the voice unmistakeable as one infuriated Stu Hopps. He even thought he heard the glass panes rattle.

The kits were all looking at the window as well, looking as shocked as Nick.

 _And here I thought things were going so well_ , Nick thought, the mood suddenly going sour. He didn't know what was going on in there, but it didn't sound good. He winced as he heard Judy replying back in a choked sob.

"Is that Daddy?" one of the kits asked, voice quiet. Ears fell, and, as one, the kits' heads swivelled to look at Nick as if he had all the answers.

Nick looked at the kits, his mind racing. The argument, or whatever was going on in there, had quietened back down. He could sort of make out the words if he strained his ears in that direction, but he wasn't sure he even wanted to know.

"Uh, I, um," Nick said and forced a smile, "It's all fine guys, your parents are just talking with your sister about some, um, important things." In a sudden inspiration, he slid off the bench swing and settled down to the floor. The kits all stepped back, but it had the added effect of focusing attention on him. "So!" he said with a raised voice and smiled again, "You want to hear about how I met your sister?"

Judy sighed at the overly large front door, juggling the pitcher and glasses. She braced herself as the door popped open to thump against her and managed not to lose everything in a cascade of ice, tea, and broken glass. Somehow then managed to get the big, unruly door open and closed without causing a dangerous mess.

She smiled as she made her way back down the veranda. Nick was bravely putting up with her inquisitive younger siblings and regaling them with some story.

"That's when she stepped into the wet cement!" Nick said, eyes looking at her. He gave an ostentatious wink.

The kits, a couple of the younger ones climbing on him, but all listening attentively, broke out into fits of giggling.

Judy groaned. _Of course_ , she thought with resignation, but she smiled all the same. At the time it had been a horrible day, but tempered with time and a new perspective about Nick it was kind of funny in retrospect.

"What lies have you been telling them, Wilde?" Judy asked with amusement as she walked up.

"Judy!" several of the kits cried as all heads turned to her before they raced over to surround her and started pelting her with questions, one young girl hugging her big sister's leg.

Judy raised the pitcher of iced tea up and clutched the two glasses against her chest. "Okay! Okay!" she says, "Back off you guys before you make me dump this ice tea on you!"

The kits mostly backed off a step or two, except the one girl who steadfastly clung to Judy's leg.

Judy pretended to ignore the girl, hefting the giggling kit with an exaggerated limp and walked to a small rattan table to set her burden down.

Nick chuckled as he got back to his feet and resettled onto the bench. "No lies here. You most certainly stepped right into that wet cement."

This got another round of giggles from the kits.

"Did you really?" one of the boys asked, sounding a bit incredulous of such a claim about his famous sister.

Judy sighed and looked up for divine help that would not come. "Yes," she said slowly, "I did. I was walking backward talking to him!" She pointed at Nick accusingly. "It's his fault!"

Nick held up his paws. "Hey, I wasn't the one hassling an innocent citizen."

Judy scoffed. "Innocent my fuzzy gray butt!" she retorted, making the kits laugh again. She chuckled herself and shook her head, looking down at her younger brothers and sisters. She lifted her leg and gave it a little shake, making the small girl giggle again. "Okay, you guys, I need to talk to Nick here for a bit. We can talk later after dinner, okay?" she said. The kit finally released her leg with a bit of urging. "Speaking of which, you should go wash up. It's almost time!"

The kits grumbled and protested, but not too much, the mention of dinner seeming to have caught their attention. They started to trail away, waving to Nick who smiled and waved back.

Judy watched the kits pad towards the door. She turned to Nick and held up a finger. "Be right back," she said and hurried over to help them with the door.

Nick stood up with a grunt as Judy trotted back.

"I hope they didn't pester you too much," Judy said as she moved back to the table and began to fill glasses.

"Nah," Nick said as he settled back into the bench swing while kicking off with one foot to give it a bit of motion, "They're pretty adorable. What was that little one's name? The little leg monster?"

"Hmm?" Judy said, ears perking and turning to Nick, reaching out with a full glass of the ice tea, "oh, that's Tiff, why?"

Nick took the glass as the motion of the swing brought him closer, "Thanks," he said took a long drink that nearly emptied the smallish glass. "Ahh," he sighed. The cool drink slid down his throat and chilled him perfectly. He leaned forward and extended the glass to Judy who took it without a word to refill it. "So, they all wanted to be police officers, except little Tiff there. Guess what she said she wants to be when she grows up?"

Judy handed the refilled glass back to Nick who leaned back. "What?" she asked, one eyebrow raised quizzically.

"A lounge singer."

"What?" Judy laughed, "Where did she come up with that?"

"That what I was wondering," Nick said, chuckling again as he took a more moderate sip of his tea.

Judy took a large gulp of her own glass and topped it off before moving to sit back on the bench with Nick who dragged a foot to stop the swinging. This time she sat next to him and not in his lap. She snuggled up, a paw seeking out Nick's to entwine her fingers with his as best she could.

Nick's paw gave hers a light squeeze, and he kicked off with his foot again to set the swing back into motion.

Judy signed and leaned her head against his arm.

They were silent for a time. The only sounds lazily drifting through the air were a light breeze, the snap of a cracking ice cube, the supporting chains of the swing making a quiet metal on metal squeak, and the sounds of nighttime insects chirping in the grass as the waning light brought them out.

Judy shifted and sat up, nodding at the kitchen window meaningfully. "I guess you heard some of that?"

"Mmhmm, " Nick hummed as he took another sip but didn't press.

Judy winced. "Did the kits hear it too?"

Nick nodded. "Oh yeah," he said, "but I distracted them."

Judy snorted. "So I saw," she said then sighed.

"Um," Nick started, curiosity starting to exert itself. "Was it, uh, I mean, did they..." he started to say but trailed off.

"Was it about you? No." Judy said.

"It... it wasn't?" Nick said, but was not entirely satisfied, "Well, if it wasn't about me then what was all that yelling about then?"

Judy winced. "I, uh," she said and sucked some air through her teeth, "I may have, um… kind of… insulted the farm and the Hopps way of life for generations."

Nick slowly arched an eyebrow. "I may have to reinstate your dumb bunny title."

Judy puffed her cheeks out then blew the breath out. "It was not my finest moment," she admitted.

Nick finally relaxed, not having realized how tense he had become since that overheard yelling. "Well, good," he said, then quickly added, "it not being about me, I mean, not you stuffing your huge foot into your mouth."

Judy snorted and lightly elbowed Nick in the ribs. "Jerk," she said, "but nope. In fact, they actually approve of you, believe it or not."

Nick's' ears perked up straight. "They... do?" he asked, surprised. Judy's siblings seemed accepting enough, save that one hardened group that had given him the evil eye, but he has still been pretty sure Bonnie and Stu, especially Bonnie, were not terribly happy with the situation.

"Mmhmm," Judy said around a sip of tea. "To sum it up: I'm the family weirdo, it figures I would fall for a fox, but now that they have met you and can see you're not some huckster trying to take me for a ride they're glad I found someone."

"They didn't actually call you a weirdo, did they?" Nick asked, ready to be offended on Judy's behalf.

Judy squeezed Nick's paw, she liked it when he was protective. "No," she said, "not in so many words. Mom just said there's always at least one in big families who stands apart from the rest... or whatever." She yawned and disengaged her paw from Nick's to scratch behind one ear, then rethreaded her fingers with Nick's. "I mean they would rather I find some nice buck in the burrows to settle down with and start popping out kits, but they know that's not going to happen," she said and shrugged, "So I think they've made peace with it."

Nick blinked, brow furrowing. He looked down at Judy. "Well... uh, wasn't that what this was all about in the first place? That call with them yesterday, calling Bogo and Mayor's office?"

Judy shrugged and sighed deeply. "Yes and no," she said and took a sip of tea, "I think they saw you as... a what? A means to an end? Or mom did at least." She told Nick about her parents fear of the impression and disruption she was causing with her siblings.

Nick hummed and sipped his tea after Judy finished. "Well," he said finally as he digested what she had told him, "I guess I can see it from their point of view. The kits seem really keen to follow in our footsteps."

"I know," Judy said and shrugged, "But I honestly don't know what I can really do about it."

Nick nodded. "Seems a little late at this point," he said.

Judy rested her head back against Nick's arm. "That's more or less what I told them," she said then thought of something else, "Oh, and mom is convinced we're going to get married."

Nick sprayed tea from his nose. He scowled and attempted to mop his muzzle with his shirt.

Judy gave a quiet giggle. "That was pretty much my reaction too," she said.

Nick swallowed and coughed. "Seriously, does everybody see something we don't?"

"What?" Judy said, keeping her voice level as she teased, "Is it really that far fetched? Us bunnies have biological clocks that tick pretty quickly, you know."

Nick blinked and looked down at Judy, ears up. "Wait, are you.. " he said as Judy looked back up innocently. A little _too_ innocently with those deliberately batted eyelashes. "You're messing with me," he accused, giving her a little shove.

Judy giggled and leaned into Nick. "Yeah, I am," she said, and rested her head against him. She was quiet for a moment, then she asked "but… but would it be that ridiculous?"

"I really wish Clawhauser would let me put down some money..." Nick muttered and sipped his tea.

Judy rolled her eyes. She had forgotten about that. "I'm being serious!" she said and nudged her head against Nick's arm, voice tinged with exasperation. "It's not like…" she said, raising her glass as she gestured vaguely, "You know, like, there's no such thing as love at first sight or anything that says we have to wait years." She let out a frustrated noise that was half grunt, half sigh. "I can't believe I'm actually contemplating this."

Nick was quiet for a moment, looking off into the distance in thought. He had to be careful here — careful what he said. He knew what Judy was thinking. He was thinking it himself more and more, but Judy also lacked the experience and objectivity that he did. He also knew better. _I hope._ He took a slow breath.

"I know," he said slowly, "I… I feel the same way, and I'm not saying we have to wait years, but I've seen too many friends jump into things only to have it all go pear shaped once they actually had to start living together for more than a few days at a time."

Judy shifted and sat up straighter. "I'm not saying we run off to the courthouse and get hitched. I know what you're saying, Nick. I'm not completely clueless. I've seen the same thing happen to a lot of my old school friends," she said and paused for a sip of tea, then snorted, "Heck, I've seen it in a fair share of my brothers and sisters, come to think of it." She sighed, trying to gather her thoughts and feelings and put them into words. "I.. I just… I want to be with you," she said and squeezed Nick's paw. She was gratified when he squeezed back.

She knew this was all foolish thinking. At least she did on an intellectual level, but the same intrusive thoughts kept running around inside her mind. It was on an almost constant and subliminal level and tended to jump to the surface when she as so much looked their way. There was the voice that cautioned reason while another voice shouted at her to dive in head first into the metaphorical pool without checking to see if it was the deep or the shallow end. _Why does this have to be so hard?_ she asked herself. "I don't know," she said eventually and bumped her head back against the bench a few times, "I'm just being silly."

A tingle ran up Nick's back, and the fur on his neck stood on end. He knew that feeling. It was the same feeling he got when he was about to commit himself to something, usually a con, but this was anything but. _Welp, Wilde,_ he thought, _you're not getting any younger. Might as well be time to stop playing so safe._

"Move in with me, " he blurted almost without thinking about it.

Judy froze. "W-what?" she said. She had heard what Nick said, but her mind couldn't come up with a better response.

Nick blinked and soundlessly opened his mouth for a few moments before speaking again. Judy thought it looked like Nick's brain was buffering like a computer, almost as though he needed to process what just came out of his mouth.

"M-move in with me," Nick said again more slowly and looked down at Judy, eyes intent and serious, "Look, the only way we're going to know if… if this is going to work is if we live together." He pulled his gaze away from Judy's wide, and now thoughtful, eyes. "Keep that closet you call an apartment for a few months, heck a year if you want. The rent can't be that much-"

"It's not," Judy said in a nervous little laugh.

"And," Nick continued, "If we get to a point where it seems right you can break the lease…" He looked down again, "Wait, do you even have a lease?"

Judy snorted. "No, it's month to month," she confirmed.

"Ah," Nick said, "Well, there you go then."

Judy snuggled up against Nick, rubbing her head against his arm again. "Move in huh?" she said and smiled. She was liking the sound of this. It wasn't like it had not already crossed her mind more than once in the last few days, but now that it was actually proposed, it did make sense the way Nick was suggesting. _I mean, it's not like I'll be spending much time at my place at this point anyway, right?_ she thought. She wasn't sure whether this was wishful thinking or rational decision making, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized she didn't care.

Right now, she could not even imagine of sleeping alone in her little room without Nick. _Plus, in the event that things didn't… work_ , she thought, _I would have a place to go, at least in the short term._

"I do like your apartment," she said thoughtfully, "It'd be nice to have an actual kitchen… ooo! And a private bathroom!"

Nick humed and squinted his eyes in thought. "It's not exactly a rabbit sized place," he said, "Have to go get some of that SizeRight stuff, can't have you getting flushed down the toilet." He grinned then, remembering a story he had heard a few months ago. "Hey, didn't you fall into a toilet at the academy?"

Judy's ears flushed deeply. "Oh my gods!" she said, "Who told you about that?"

Nick looked up in thought. "I think it was the Major, actually."

Judy groaned. She would have to have a word with Major Friedkin then next time she saw her. She sighed and let it go. Falling into the toilet had been only one of the many things she had fallen into, on to, through, or otherwise bounced against in the long months.

Nick chuckled. "Rabbit sized or not, at least you won't have the crazy neighbors," Nick said dryly and tipped his glass up, downing the last of the tea.

"I think I'll miss them, actually," Judy replied.

"You have to be kidding me," Nick said in flat tone, "I would have gone savage on them by now." All he could think about was sleepless nights, pounding on the wall and yelling 'Shut up!' with those two yelling right back. He had had some real pieces of work as neighbors over the years, but those two next to Judy were on their own special level of crazy.

Judy giggled. "They're really nice once you get to know them… in their own strange way." Bucky and Pronk were trying at times with the arguing and shouting at all hours, but they did kind of look out for her too, if in the way some of her more annoying older brothers had tended to do when she was younger. She would miss them all the same. They were really the only ones who she knew there that went beyond the occasional 'hello' in the hall or on the stairway. _Hard not to with those paper thin walls,_ she thought then cringed. _Probably know them a bit too well..._

"I'll take your word for it," Nick replied and tilted his glass up to peer into it before giving it a shake to rattle an ice cube loose to slide into his muzzle.

"Of course my parents will want to come visit," Judy said. To be honest, she thought would go pretty well. Saying her folks had not been thrilled with her accommodations would be an understatement, but being the spendthrifts they were, they didn't complain _too_ much.

Nick froze in mid ice cube crunch for a couple of seconds, eyes staring off as he imagined Bonnie and Stu in _his_ apartment. He shrugged. "I guess," he said, plans starting to formulate in his head, "Take them out to a nice place to eat, perhaps a play or the museum now that it's open again. You know, try and show them the city isn't some den of murderous villains by taking them to the place where we were almost killed by murderous villains."

Judy giggled. "Perhaps not there," she said, and thought about the possibilities. Outside of her graduation, her parents had visited briefly before, but they had been such nervous wrecks they had called the trip off early before they had done much more than have lunch. She thought between her and Nick they could show her folks a good time. Probably enlist the help of some of the others who were keen on the city as well.

They sat in silence for a bit before Nick finally looked down.

"So?" he asked.

Judy took a deep breath and held it for several seconds. "Let's do it!" she said in a rush. A toothy grin spread across her muzzle.

"You are so cute when you do that," Nick said as warmth bloomed through his cheeks. He hadn't even realized he had used _that_ word before it was already out of his mouth. For once, Judy didn't seem to notice.

"Do what?" Judy asked, puzzled.

Nick grinned and inclined his head at her, gesturing with his glass. "The way your front teeth sometimes cover your bottom lip."

Judy brought a paw to her muzzle, feeling for a moment then dropped it. She smiled, making sure her big front teeth were showing the way Nick said. She wriggled up, Nick blinking and lifting his arm as Judy turned on the bench and lifted a leg to straddle his. She tried not to wince, the muscles down between starting to protest. She sat up straight. Her head was almost level with Nick's, muzzles nearly touching, and let her arms drape off his shoulders with the glass of tea hanging and still held lazily in one paw.

"Like this?" she said, voice lowered to a husky whisper then gave that same bucked tooth smile.

Nick made a hungry noise, a heat blooming down below regardless of how tired and spent he had recently claimed to be. His smile turned into a grin, muzzle close to Judy's. "Just like that," he said and lean in a bit to kiss her but she pulled back.

"Yeah?" said said, half lidding her eyes. She turned her head slightly and brought her muzzle teasingly close, pulling back just as Nick tried to kiss her again, "You sure?"

Nick gave a frustrated little growl. "Absolutely," he huffed back.

Judy's heart sped up and her grin widened. She relented, letting her eyes drift closed as she finally let him kiss her.

Nick broke the kiss after only a brief couple of seconds, but kept his muzzle close and arched an eyebrow. "You sure you're just not after my swanky apartment?" he asked, voice too low and heated for such a ridiculous question.

Judy hummed thoughtfully and pressed in, she kissing Nick this time. When she broke the kiss she said, "Oh, it's not just the apartment. I really like this fox that lives there too."

"Oh?" Nick said, voice low, "You do, do you?"

"Mmhmm," Judy said and and gave the tip of Nick's nose a little smooch, "He's totally loaded."

Nick groaned and rolled his eyes. He pushed his head back, letting it loll off the backrest. "I knew it!"

Judy giggled and lifted her left leg, pivoting to slide off his lap and back to sitting in a smooth motion.

Nick lifted his head up, joining in with a chuckle.

"Well," Judy finally said as they settled down, "We can figure it out once we get back to the city, but let's not say anything about it to my parents. I think it's a bit too early to spring that one them too."

"No argument from me," Nick said. In truth he would rather be back in Zootopia when that news broke. Just in case.

 _So, that's it?_ he thought, _that quick, that easy and now a rabbit is going to be moving in with me?_ He wrangled another ice cube from his glass. _Ya know,_ he thought to himself as he crunched the ice contentedly, _if you tell your twenty year old self 'Nicky, in twelve years you're going to be a cop and shacked up with your crime-fighting partner of a rabbit.' he would die laughing._ He chuckled quietly to himself.

"What?" Judy asked, looking up.

Nick shook his head. "Just wondering what my younger self would think of my life now."

Judy smiled. "Oh? I think I would have liked to meet you back then."

Nick almost laughed. "Oh, oh Carrots, no, I don't think so," he said, shaking his head, "You would have hated me."

"Psh, I doubt you could have been that different."

"I was, trust me," Nick assured, "I was so full and sure of myself. Thought I had all the answers to everything."

"Like I said," Judy said, grinning, "Not that different!"

"Oh, ha ha ha, Fluff," Nick replied, rolling his eyes "You underestimate how insufferable I was. Trust the fox who knew him best."

Judy humed. "Well, you are pretty insufferable right now, so I can only imagine."

Nick made a rude noise. "Such a charmer," he said evenly.

Judy giggled and smiled. "Even so, I think it would be neat to meet the younger you."

"Sure," Nick said with sarcasm, "Can you imagine the young street hustling Nick Wilde running up against Judy Hopps, super bunny cop? I don't see that ending well. For me, that is."

Judy hummed thoughtfully. "You have point there."

She sighed and yawned, letting the thought go for now. The whole 'moving in' thing was exciting, but now that the decision was made it just seemed… _right_. She nuzzled into Nick's fur. "Mmm, " she hummed, "You smell good."

Nick blinked, lost in his own thoughts, then snorted. "I smell like shampoo and damp fox," he said, although truthfully is was mostly dry at this point.

"Well," Judy said, "I like it."

Nick smiled down at the smaller rabbit cuddled up against his side. He slowly disengaged his fingers from her's and lifted his arm so he could put it around her and pull her close, Judy cuddling up against his side automatically.

They sat quietly with one another. A dull red sun finally made its last appearance as it lowered in the sky and started to sink behind the distant mountains. _Judy was right_ , Nick thought. _It's quite a sight from here._

There was nobody else about, which Nick thought kind of odd given how many rabbits lived here. Aside from the kits, and a few stray others, Nick had not seen anyone else outside since they had first arrived, when there had been gaggles of bunnies out and about. Seeing how many there had been in the main hall down below, he guessed they had mostly all headed in for the night.

 _I wonder if they have tunnels between the burrows?,_ he wondered idly, _I bet they do._

Nick caught a slight motion out of the corner of his eye. Judy's mostly empty glass, aside from the ice, was slowing starting to list farther and farther to one side. He looked down at her eyes closing and mouth hanging slightly open. He quickly set his own glass down on the wide armrest to his right and snatched up Judy's just as it was starting to slip from her fingers. He carefully set it behind his own. He figured as long as they didn't make any wild motions, they should be safe resting there for the time being. He shifted some snuggling Judy firmly against his side and let his head tilt to rest lightly atop hers.

He watched the sun slowly sinking behind the mountains, mind drifting to thoughts of what name Judy would insist upon. He couldn't see her taking his name, she was a hyphenated name female if ever he knew one, but would it be Hopps-Wilde or Wilde-Hopps? He rather liked the sound of the latter. He was also terrified of the prospect. Him... married. It was just one of those things he never saw in his future. Sleep slowly started to creep nearer. He was vaguely aware that his own eyes were drifting closed, but he didn't try to stop them. They were both tired. A little nap wouldn't hurt.

He walked down a hall the Hopps burrow that seemed to stretch out forever in front of him, closed doors lining the walls much closer together than he remembered them being. Didn't the hall curve too? He thought he remembered it curving around...

"Judy!" he called, voice echoing and reverberating strangely.

A distinctly feminine giggle returned and seemed to come from all round.

"Oh, Nick!" a voice that was most definitely not Judy's called back in a sing-song way that sent shivers up his spine and made the fur on the back of his neck rise.

In the far distance he saw one of the doors open. Then another door opened... and another. He stopped and watched. No one stepped from the doors, and lights started flicking off one by one behind them.

"Nick..." that voice seemed to whisper right in his ear, and he jumped, spinning around to see... nothing. The light faded to complete, unnatural blackness just a few feet way, as if it was hitting a wall of black fog. He started backing up, the wall of darkness following him.

"Nick!" the voice hissed in his ear again, this time he even felt the warm breath.

He spun around again, trying to yell but nothing came out, and now the same wall of darkness was in front of him too and creeping closer.

 _Tap tap tap!_

He could hear doors opening up in the darkness, and in the distance, he saw a pair of glowing green eyes slowly open... then another, and another, and another.

"Nick," the voice called out again. It had begun to distort into a reverberating, malevolent growl.

He spun around again, only to see dozens of those green, glowing eyes hovering in the blackness just feet away. He made a noiseless yelp and stumbled back, falling onto his rump as the wall of darkness seemed to roll forward, the eyes coming with it.

 _Tap tap tap!_

"No!" he tried to scream, but again, no sound issued from his throat. He threw his arms up over his head, curling up into a ball as the darkness enveloped him.

His eyes shot open, and he jerked with a start. He remained still or few seconds. He didn't know where he was; it was dim, but not the unnatural kind of blackness that he had just been drowning in. He blinked and swallowed, straightening himself up with a wince. His neck was sore from sleeping at an odd angle, and he rubbed it slowly with a paw..

Then, everything flooded back in a rush. He nearly went limp with relief. It had just been a dream. _Well, a nightmare,_ he thought _._ He sucked in a breath, let it out in a long sigh, and shifted his paw from his neck to his head. "You gotta be kidding me," he muttered.

 _Tap tap tap!_

He startled and turned his head, squinting at the bright light coming out of the kitchen window. Bonnie Hopps was on the other side and gestured him inside. He inclined his head and gave her a thumbs up, which seemed to satisfy her as she walked away from the window.

Nick rubbed his face with one paw and sniffed. "Holy jeez," he groaned. He wasn't prone to nightmares, or at least hadn't been for a long time. The shiver up his spine left no doubt how thoroughly creeped out he was by the dream. He also had no doubt as to whom those glowing green eyes had belonged to, either. He looked down; Judy was still cuddled up against his side, her legs tucked up onto the seat.

"Judy," he said softly. When she didn't respond, he gave her a little nudge with his body. "Judy. Wakey wakey, Carrots."

"Mmm?" Judy hummed, her brow furrowed. She was lost in her own, much more boring dream about paperwork and police reports that never seemed to end. Every time she signed off on one, the Chief popped in and dropped another bundle on her desk. Not a nightmare in the normal sense, but still horrifying in its own way. It started to fade as consciousness starting to intrude. She shifted and snuggled up against Nick firmly. "Five more minutes... I gotta fill out these accident reports..." she mumbled.

Nick chuckled and leaned down to nose Judy between her down ears then smooched that same spot. "As much as I would love to sit here and snuggle with you," he whispered, "I do believe dinner's ready."

Judy's brow furrowed again, and her eyes slowly opened. "Hm? Wa-" she started but was cut off by an impressive yawn. She blinked as the world came into focus and slowly sat up. She looked up at Nick, then around. "Ooph, guess I drifted off for a bit there," she said. She wasn't sure how long it had been, but the sun was now down behind the mountains, which illuminated the clear sky a deep blue-purple.

"You and me both," Nick said and stretched his arms out to the side, arching his back.

Judy did much the same, but instead pushed her arms and legs straight out in a stretch. "Mmm, you said dinner is ready?" she asked.

"Yup," Nick hummed and nodded at the brightly lit window, "Your mom was just knocking on the window to get our attention."

Judy relaxed out of the stretch with a huff. "Well good, because I am starving," she said with conviction.

"Amen to that," Nick agreed. He remembered the two glasses sitting on the armrest to his right and picked them up. "Shall we?" he asked, looking to Judy.

Judy nodded, stifling another yawn before sliding off the bench. She grunted as her feet touched the ground; her arms shot out for balance as she doubled over. She put a paw on her belly. "Oh gods, not again," she huffed.

Nick blinked and quickly slid down, rocking the glasses on the armrest dangerously. "What's wrong?" he asked, concerned.

Judy grunted and stood up in a jerky motion. "What do you think?" she groaned. She lifted one leg slowly up to her chest and held it there, stretching her quads. "How long have we been out here? I shouldn't be this stiff," she said, wincing as muscles up and down her inner thighs, and elsewhere, howled in protest. It wasn't quite as bad as yesterday morning, but it was darn close.

Nick relaxed, a smug smile spreading on his face. He resisted the urge to congratulate himself on another job well done. "Oh, an hour? Two? Not sure," he replied, gazing at where the sun had set and trying to recall how high it had been when they had drifted off.

Judy turned her head and glared at Nick, repeating the stretch with the other leg. "This is not fair," she complained as she set her leg back down, moving to slowly squat down. She closed her eyes, sucking breath through her teeth.

"Hey, I'm pretty sure I had little say in what got you this way," Nick said. He turned to pick up the glasses from the armrest, moved to the railing and flicked the remaining ice and water out onto the lawn. "Not my fault you never exercised, um, those particular muscles before." In truth, he was as little stiff himself, but he had also come from nine months of muscle failure one day, miles long runs the next.

Judy stood up with a little grunt. _Good enough,_ she thought and arched her back in one last stretch. She moved to pick up the half empty pitcher of ice tea, making a disgusted noise when she spotted a few drowned insects in it.

"We should probably take it easy for a few days," Nick said as he fell into step next to Judy as she started towards the door.

Judy grunted noncommittally. She didn't like the idea, but he may have a point. _No pain no gain is what they say_ , she thought, _but this is ridiculous._

As they walked toward the ornate front doors, Nick recalled the dream.

"So," he said, "Katherine isn't a witch or a sorceress, is she?"

Judy snorted a laugh, pausing with a paw on the door handle. She gave Nick an arched eyebrow look of incredulity. "What?"

Nick described the dream to Judy. While the details were already starting to fade, as they tended to, he still remembered the voice, the glowing green eyes, and the wall of darkness.

Judy smiled and shook her head as she turned the handle, the door popping open with inward pull of air. She started in, but paused to look at him as the air rushed around them. "Boy, she's really done a number on you, hasn't she?"

"It think it's that dark fur and those eyes, creeps me out," Nick said and shuddered, then added, "You also missed her and her posse on the upper level in there mentally undressing me. "

Judy snorted. "No I didn't," she said and walked through the doorway, "I saw them, I just ignored them." She wasn't sure if she should be jealous of the fact Nick had been dreaming about Katherine instead of her. After a moment, she decided she was pleased when he said it had actually been a nightmare about her sister, and not something romantic or lewd. "And to answer your question no, Nick. To my knowledge, Katherine is not involved in the dark arts or in league with the underworld to sneak into your dreams and torment you," she said. She normally reserved that tone for her younger brothers and sisters, but figured it a hint of patronizing was in order.

"To your knowledge," Nick said doubtfully as they entered, shutting the door behind them.

Judy knew Nick was joking, but playing along was fun and made her smile. The banter between them had always come so easily. "Well," she replied, "I'm sure you'll see her around tonight. You can ask her if she was casting spells on you."

Nick harrumphed and followed Judy. "I think I'll try to do exactly _not_ that, thank you very much," he said. He noted the noise from the main hall was much louder than it had been earlier. Between the murmur of conversations, a raucous laugh, and the tinkling of plates and cutlery, it strangely reminded him of the lunchroom years ago in grade school.

Judy turned into the hall leading to her parent's area. "Watch your head," she said as she opened one of the double doors with a free paw.

"I take it we're not dining down there?" Nick said, nodding his head in the direction of the main hall as he followed Judy into the 'mud room,' ducking and closing the door behind him. She had not been kidding about her parent's area of the burrow. While he could technically stand, his ears brushed the ceiling which made the compulsion to bend over hard to ignore.

"Hmm?" Judy said, looking back at him, paw on the handle of the inner door. "Oh, gods no. Mom wanted to do something a bit more personal, for obvious reasons."

"Mmm," Nick hummed. If he were honest, he would rather be surrounded by Judy's jovial, if rather risque, siblings than in a small room with her parents regardless of Judy's assurances they approved of him. He was pretty sure that there had never been a meeting of parents like this that was not awkward. _Hi there mister and missus so and so! I'm your son and or daughter's romantic interest and obviously having sexual relations, but we're all going to sit around pretending that we're not!_ Well, wasn't like he had much choice at this point, if he ever had any say in this. _You are one whipped fox, you know that Wilde?_ he told himself.

His mind momentarily flicked to an image of a smirking Judy holding a whip while he crouched with his hands bound behind him. He felt his blood pressure spike as he shook his head, trying to rid his brain of the unwanted, but not unappreciated, thought. He promised himself to revisit it later when he and Judy weren't about to sit down for dinner with her parents.

Judy paused in the act of turning the door handle, and looked back at Nick again. "Remember-" she said, but Nick cut her off with a roll of the eyes.

"Yes, yes, best behavior," he sighed, "I'm not totally incompetent, I'll have you know."

Judy arched an eyebrow at him. "I wonder sometimes..."

"Ouch, Fluff, you wound me," Nick said dryly, "You always say the sweetest things."

"Hush. You know I love you," she replied. Judy grinned at him, opened the door, and stepped into the kitchen.

A waft of warm, fragrant air washed over them, causing both Judy's and Nick's nose to twitch. Bonnie was leaning over, peering into the small window of an oven. She turned her head and stood up, smiling.

"There you two are. You were out cold for a while there!" Bonnie said. She opened the oven, reaching in with a dishtowel to pull out a large, golden brown pie of some sort and set it on the stone countertop.

"Is that...?" Judy asked, nose twitching. She wasn't asking about the pie, which smelled awesome as well, but the other scent in the air she knew well.

"Your favorite," Bonnie said with a smile, and she dusted her paws together, "Ratatouille."

Nick was nearly drooling at the smells and could not help licking his chops. He didn't know what Ratatouille smelled like. Well, he supposed he did now. But that pie Bonnie had just pulled out was most certainly blueberry.

Judy hopped up and down in clear excitement, nearly sloshing the lukewarm ice tea from the pitcher. "I haven't had that in forever!" She turned her head to Nick. "You're going to love this, it's so good," she said fervently.

"Well," Bonnie said, moving to the sink to wash her paws, "I so rarely get to cook these days, and this is a special occasion." She tilted her head, gesturing back, "Why don't you two go sit down, your father should be along in a minute."

"Do you need any help, ma'am?" Nick offered, which got a small smile from Judy.

Bonnie smiled. "That's nice of you to ask Nick, but I'm fine. And don't call me ma'am, Bonnie will do."

"Yes, ma..." Nick started, catching himself, "Er, Bonnie."

"You sure mom?" Judy asked and turned to take the two glasses from Nick and padded over to the counter.

Bonnie waved a paw. "Everything is mostly out there already, hun. Go get settled."

"Okay," Judy replied. As she started to dump the contents of the pitcher into the sink, she noticed her mother's protest at the apparent waste before she made it. "Bugs got into," she said simply as she deposited the now empty pitcher along with the glasses into the sink.

"Oh," Bonnie said, "Well, nevermind then, I can always make more." She made shooing motions at Judy and Nick. "Go on, shoo, go get seated."

Judy grinned. "Come on, Nick," she said and made her way over to one of the doors on the far wall.

The dining room was larger than Nick expected. The large, dark, wooden table in the center was easily able to seat a dozen, plus or minus depending on the size of the mammals in question. The ceiling was somewhat higher too, letting Nick stand fully, although his mild claustrophobia adamantly stuck around.

The room had a rustic tone, like much of the Hopps burrow, with thick wooden beams crossing the wooden planked ceiling. There were big, square, wooden columns running along two sides of the room placed several feet apart. The walls in between white, textured plaster with a floral themed stenciled border running along the top in various shades of pinks, yellows, and oranges very much in line with the exterior colors of the burrow and that of the train station.

The table was already set for four, with two on one side and two on the other. Three orange, enameled cast iron pots were arranged on a rotating wooden dolly in the center, and steam wafted from the edges of the closed lids. One chair was larger than the others and stuck out a bit, and it was obvious where Nick would be sitting. He would need to be mindful of where he put his feet.

Nick stepped up to pull the seat next to the big one out for Judy. "This room has your mom written all over it, " he commented.

Judy smiled, amused as Nick showed his chivalrous side by pulling the seat out for her. "I'm perfectly capable of seating myself, you know."

Nick grunted. "Yes, I know you're a strong, independent doe, Carrots, but humor my fragile male ego."

Judy giggled quietly. "It's okay, I think it's sweet. I just like giving you a hard time."

Nick made a rude noise as Judy sat and he helped scoot the chair forward.

"Oh, don't pretend you don't love it," Judy said.

Nick couldn't help smiling as he pulled his own chair out to sit. "That obvious, huh?"

"Just a bit," Judy said with a grin and a hint of sarcasm but continued, "And this is definitely my mom's decorating. Most of their area is except for dad's den and workshop."

As if summoned by mention of his name, a door at the end of room popped open and Stu stuck his head in, drawing Nick and Judy's attention.

"Oh! Good, you're here!" he said, "Hey there, Nick, do you drink wine?"

Nick blinked and looked at Judy for a moment before turning back. "Uh, yes sir," he said, unsure.

"Okay, great!" Stu said, "Red okay? It goes what with what Bonnie's cooked up."

"Uh," Nick said uncertainly, "Yeah, red is just fine."

"Okay," Stu said and looked at Judy. "Uhh, what about you, Jude? You, uh, didn't use to drink..."

Nick looked at Judy, eyebrows arched.

Judy sighed, determinedly did not roll her eyes, and nodded. "Sure dad," she said, "I'll give it a try."

"Okay!" Stu said and ducked back out, shutting the door.

Nick turned to Judy. "Is he always like that?"

"Hmm?" Judy hummed, looking up. "Oh, you mean seeming like he's teetering on the edge of panic or excitement?" she said and leaned forward, sniffing the at the fragrant vapor escaping the pots, "No, not all the time, but this whole... situation has him fairly wound up."

She leaned back against the chair back and looked back up at Nick. "I get the feeling he might be trying to impress you."

Nick's eyebrows went up. "Impress me?" he said, "I thought I'm the one who's supposed to be trying to impress him?"

"You don't know my father," Judy said then added, "By the way,this wine? He made it himself, just so you know."

"Really?" Nick said with interest, "Is it any good?"

"I have no idea," Judy said, "Mom and some of the sibs say it's okay, but I wouldn't know wine from dishwater."

Nick hummed. "You might want to get that looked at," he commented.

Judy snorted and stuck her tongue, making Nick grin.

Just then Bonnie pushed through the door, brushing her paws together. "Okay, I think we're ready!" she said, then tsked, "Isn't your father here yet?"

"He went to get some of his wine," Judy supplied.

"Oh dear," Bonnie said, her hands on her hips, "Well, I hope it's better than that last bottle."

Nick ducked his head, suppressing a smile. Judy's parents were starting to grow on him.

Bonnie made her way around the table, but just before she made it to her seat, Stu popped through the door again, this time carrying two bottles of wine; one in a paw and the other tucked under an arm. This was no small feat given the bottles were large compared to Stu's relatively diminutive size. In his other paw, he was pulling along a wooden contraption on casters half his height and nearly as wide. Water splashed up from some sort of basin on the top as the thing halted.

"Absolutely not!" Bonnie said, pointing a finger.

Stu stopped and looked at Bonnie, eyes wide. "Oh c'mon, Bon!" he said.

"No!" Bonnie said firmly, "It makes a racket! You have a perfectly good stand and bucket for the wine! You don't need that thing!"

"But-" Stu said, but was cut off.

"Stewart..." Bonnie said with a half-lidded expression of displeasure, but that's all it took.

Stu's ears fell and he sighed. "Oh, fine," he groused. He set the bottles of wine on the end of the table before pushing the boxy thing back out the doorway, muttering to himself.

"What the heck was that?" Judy asked, befuddled.

Bonnie rolled her eyes and pulled out her chair to sit down across from them. "A cold water wine chiller," she said with utter disdain as she scooted her chair forward, "He cobbled it together out parts from an old refrigerator.

Judy put a paw over her muzzle, trying not to laugh.

"Oh, you think it's funny," Bonnie said, looking at the door Stu had just go out, "But he thinks he's going to be the next big name in wine."

"Seriously?" Judy asked, ears perking up.

Bonnie have a small sigh. "Yes, unfortunately," she said, "It's still all mostly talk, but he wants to turn one of the valley fields into a vineyard. As if we don't have enough to do around here. You know how your father is. He starts some hobby, takes it too far, then gives up on it."

A muted clatter of ice hitting metal came from the kitchen, ears all around cocking in that direction.

"Half of what he's made has come out as vinegar," Bonnie said with another, longer sigh, "but, to be fair, some of what he's made has actually been pretty good, so who knows."

Before anyone could say anything else, Stu pushed through the door to the kitchen, holding a simple chrome plated stand that held an insulated wine bucket. He was holding the thing up off the floor in one paw. In his other paw, he held four long-stemmed wine glasses threaded through his fingers awkwardly and sticking out at odd angles, one of them obviously larger than the rest assumedly for Nick. He paused near Nick and held out the paw with the delicate looking glassware.

"Nick," he said, straining a bit to hold the stand with its load of ice up, "D'you mind grabbing these for me?"

"Sure thing," Nick said and reached out to gingerly take the glasses and paused. "Um..." he said, trying to figure out how to disengage them from Stu's precarious grip without dropping any.

Judy, seeing the dilemma, slipped out of her seat and padded over. "Here, let me help," she said, and between her and Nick, they were able to let Stu release them without any dropping.

"You could have just made two trips, Stu," Bonnie said evenly which Stu steadfastly ignored.

Judy returned to her seat. She leaned over to hand one glass to Bonnie while Nick easily reached over to place a glass next to Stu's place setting.

"Happy?" Stu said, giving Bonnie a look as he puffed his way around the large table, muttering under his breath,

"Very," Bonnie replied with a slight smile.

Stu set the bucket down to the side of his own seat, the room quiet and watching as he went back to get the two big bottles.

"Now they're already cool, but I figured one bottle isn't going to be enough," Stu said and gave Nick a conspiratorial wink as he settled one of the bottles into the bucket.

Nick gave an amused and exaggerated wink back.

Stu produced a corkscrew bottle opener from a pocket and started to screw it into the corked top of the bottle.

"I understand you made the wine yourself, Stu?" Nick said, breaking the silence.

Stu beamed with pride. "Sure did!" he said happily, and the little arms of the opener raised up high enough to be levered down, the cork coming free with a quiet pop.

The bottles, Nick noted, had no label on them, just a date scrawled in white grease pencil.

"I've not really tried this batch yet," Stu said.

"Oh dear," Bonnie said, "Someone be ready to call an ambulance."

"Oh, ha ha ha," Stu said in a hurt tone, "You could be just a little more supportive Bon."

Bonnie rolled her eyes and sighed. "Stu, you have a whole barn full of forgotten projects. It's hard to get excited."

Stu wrestled the cork from the bottle. "A buck has to have hobbies," he said defensively which earned him another level look from his wife.

Both Nick and Judy exchanged a brief look, both with lips tight as they tried not to laugh.

"Anyways, it should be fine," Stu said, "It's been aging for what, seven or eight months now?"

With the cork removed Stu trotted back around the table with the bottle in both paws, sniffing at the opening and making a pleased sound. Nick picked up his wine glass presenting it to Stu to fill as he drew close. Stu paused held the bottle by the neck with one paw while reaching into another pocket of his overalls and pulling out a strange looking clear glass, or possibly plastic, funnel-like device.

Nick recognized it for what it was, an aerator,

"Could you...?" Stu said holding the device, "Just hold it over the glass."

Nick took the device and held it over his glass.

Bonnie gave a quiet suffering sigh and rolled her eyes. "The food is getting cold Stu," she said, but without much impatience in her voice.

"You can't rush these things, Bon!" Stu said as he started to pour the wine into the aerator, "I didn't have time to let it breathe!" The wine spiraled around and through the small opening, making a loud slurping sound as it pulled air from a small side channel.

Judy peered around Nick, ears perked. "What's that for?"

"It's an aerator," both Nick and Stu said at the same time, but Nick continued and explained. "Normally you're supposed to let wine, especially young ones, breathe. Basically just be exposed to air for a while. It mellows some of the harsher notes."

"Oh," Judy said, and her eyes narrowed slightly as she stared at the back of Nick's head. She didn't know why Nick knew so much about wine. It could be completely innocent, but some sense told it was anything but.

Stu grinned. "You know something about wine, Nick?" he asked.

Nick returned the smile. "Oh, I'm no expert, but I know my way around a bottle or two," he said.

In fact, Judy's unspoken suspicions were right on the mark.

One of Nick's favorite, and most lucrative, cons he had pulled off countless times was selling bootleg copies of well know vintages. All it took was boiling the labels off used wine bottles, ten bucks worth of store-bought grape juice, sugar, yeast, and assorted herbs or fruits to make a ton of it which he then sold to unsuspecting restaurants and stores for almost pure profit. Half the time he sold to collectors whose wine cellars were status symbol rather than something they actually knew anything about.

The amount made from a single bottle was enough to make gallons of the stuff. There was the cost of getting fake labels printed and new corks, but he had contacts there as well. Along with all that came a certain amount of experience as to what made a wine good or bad. Some of what he made had turned out not half bad, considering it was made from store-bought supplies, and he would even keep a few bottles for himself time to time when a batch turned out particularly good.

Nick held up his paw when his glass was half full, and Stu tilted the bottle up. Nick set his glass down, holding the aerator over it so as not to let it drip, and held out a paw.

"Carrots, give me your glass."

"Carrots?" Bonnie mouthed to Judy silently from across the table with raised eyebrows.

Judy made a shushing motion at her mother as she handed her glass over.

"Is this a particular kind of red?" Nick asked as he presented Judy's smaller glass to Stu, who started to pour again.

Stu set the bottle upright when the glass hit the halfway mark. Nick gave the aerator a few good shakes and instead of handing it back to Stu he easily reached across the table to hand it to Bonnie, who took it, still looking mildly exasperated.

Stu moved away and started back around the table to Bonnie. "Oh, not really. I'm still trying to get something basic and consistent before I get fancy," he said as he reached Bonnie. "It's not hard, really, but it doesn't take much to ruin a whole batch, either."

Nick picked his glass up and swirled the deep red liquid around, bringing it up to his nose.

Judy, watching Nick, did the same. Not that she knew what she was supposed to be smelling. It did smell good, however, fruity and spicy.

Across the table, Stu was finishing with Bonnie's glass and moved onto his own, Bonnie helping.

Judy pulled her nose away, watching her father and mother. "Dad, why don't you use smaller bottles?"

Nick raised an eyebrow, he had actually been wondering that himself, the bottles were really too big for a rabbit to be swinging around.

"Hmm?" Stu said as he set the bottle down to the side, "Oh, I do. They were out of them when I made this batch."

As Stu settled into his seat, Nick took and experimental sip. Stu watched with rapt interest and obvious expectation.

Nick locked eyes with Stu as he rolled the rich liquid around in his mouth for a several long seconds before swallowing. He raised his eyebrows and smacked his lips. "That... that's actually quite good."

A huge smile spread Stu's face, and he smacked a paw down on the table. "See! See, Bon!" he said, "What did I tell you! One day the Hopps label will spread far and wide!"

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "Yes, Stu, I'm sure it will, but can we please eat before the food gets cold?"

Judy took a tentative sip of her own glass and grimaced. She forced herself to swallow it, eyes watering. "Ugh," she said, getting a hurt look from her father. "Oh gods, that's awful," she said.

Nick chuckled. "It's an acquired taste," he commented, "Give it a minute and try another sip. It will get better, I promise."

Judy looked at the glass dubiously. "If you say so."

Bonnie looked back and forth between Nick and Judy in a way that could only be called suspicious.

Judy spotted the look and raised her paws up. "Nick is not turning me into a lush, mom."

"Well," Bonnie said, not looking particularly placated as she reached forward to pull lids off the pots, "Just don't start taking after some of your brothers."

Nick looked at Bonnie for a moment before turning a questioning gaze to Judy.

Judy looked back and mouthed, "Later!" to Nick.

That was fine with Nick as the smell that billowed out of the now open pots made both Nick and Judy's stomach clench. Only now were they really realizing just how hungry they both were.

Bonnie gestured to Nick and Judy. "Come on you two, help yourselves," she said then added, "It's all vegetarian, hope that is okay, Nick?"

Nick reached out and grabbed one of the large serving spoons. "Oh, absolutely. I'm mostly vegetarian these days anyway," he said, which got him a surprised look from Bonnie. He reached out a paw to Judy, "Let me, hon," he said.

Judy smiled and handed her plate to Nick. He was really outdoing himself in the manners department, and she noticed his little stunt with the wine had apparently earned him some big marks with dad, too.

Nick ladled out generous helpings of each of the three pots onto Judy's plate. Aside from the main dish, there were some roasted carrots coated in some kind of tangy smelling glaze and some mashed sweet potatoes that practically dripped with garlic and butter. He wasted no time filling his own plate; he felt part-wolf considering how loudly his stomach was howling for food.

Judy dug in as soon as Nick handed her plate back, which got a clucking of a tongue from her mother.

"Judy!" Bonnie said, "Wait for everyone else, honestly!"

Judy made a muffled grunt and sat back, chewing contentedly. "I've only eaten a candy bar all day," she said around the mouthful, "I'm starving to death!"

"Well, who's fault is that?" Bonnie said as both she and Stu started to pile up their own plates.

Judy ignored her mother, savoring the taste of her favorite dish. "So good," she mumbled around the mouthful with her eyes closed.

Nick, managing to resist better than Judy hummed. "Is it Potato Casserole good?" he asked.

Judy sighed, still chewing and nodded.

"Potato casserole?" Bonnie asked as she set her plate back down.

Nick was about to answer but Judy, finally swallowing, spoke up.

"There's this diner by the precinct," she explained, "And they have this casserole that is crazy good, right up there with this."

Nick waved a fork in a circle. "It's just shredded potatoes, cream of mushroom soup, cheddar cheese, cream cheese and some onion."

Bonnie's eyebrows went up now as she picked up her own fork. "It sounds very unhealthy," she said.

"Extremely," Nick said and dug in with everyone else. His ears went straight up when he tasted the ratatouille. "Oh my," he said after swallowing the first bite. Judy had not been kidding. "This is absolutely delicious miss... uh, Bonnie, really."

Bonnie smiled, looking pleased with herself. "Why thank you, Nick. I'm glad you like it."

Dinner progressed much like dinners did. After a few minutes of quiet eating, and a few sips of wine all around, conversation started up about various topics. It started out with what interesting things had happened with Judy lately, outside of the obvious. Nick deftly handled questions to him that were subtle digs, mostly by Bonnie, into his past.

There was quite a bit of discussion about the Academy as well, mostly Judy and Nick comparing stories about their experience. Stu brought up Nick's guitar, and they discussed the finer points of playing, before moving on to Stu's wine baron aspirations.

Nick actually might be able to help Stu out there, and said as much. While his bootlegging days were behind him, he still had contacts and may actually be able to get Stu a foothold in the city if he started producing batches in sufficient quantity and quality. This mostly got eye rolls from Bonnie, but even she started to seem somewhat excited by the prospect by the end.

Judy found that Nick had been right about the wine too. After a few more sips it actually didn't taste too bad, and she found herself not only finishing the first glass but drinking half of another. She kept Nick's advice in mind this time, however, moderating her intake when her head began to fuzz. Getting sloppy drunk around her parents wasn't on her to do list.

"Ready for dessert?" Bonnie finally said when everybody seemed to have had their fill of the main meal.

Nick sat back and patted his stomach. "Oh, I don't know. I am pretty stuffed."

"You don't need to ask me, Bon!" Stu said.

"I'm game," Judy said and looked at Nick questioningly.

"Good gods, Fluff, I think I've eaten enough for three meals."

"It's blueberry pie!" Judy in a sing-song at him.

Nick pursed his lips and puffed his cheeks out. "Well," he finally said, "I can hardly say no to that."

Judy grinned. "You're too easy, Wilde," she said.

Nick nodded in agreement. "I am a fox of simple desires, Carrots," he said somberly.

Bonnie gave a little laugh, putting a paw over her muzzle, then collected herself as she stood. The wine had started getting to everyone.

"Well then," she said as she walked around the table, "Would anyone be opposed to vanilla ice cream on top?" When nobody protested, she said, "I didn't think so," and passed through the door to the kitchen.

Nick downed the last bit of his current glass of his wine and sighed.

Stu thumbed at the second bottle of wine, now open and nearly half empty. Nick followed the motion and eyed the bottle critically for a moment before leaning forward to slowly push his glass across the table. "Why not?"

Judy snorted. "Pretty sure you were the one telling me to pace myself last night," Judy said.

"I am pacing myself, " Nick said, covering his muzzle with a paw as he let out a little burp, elbows resting on the table. He watched as Stu started to pour, they had stopped bothering with the aerator at this point. "You forget I'm twice your size and I have a belly full of delicious food. Don't worry, I'm good." This wasn't exactly true. He was a bit tipsier that he normally liked to be, but as someone had once told him: everything in moderation, including moderation. Besides, one more glass would not make him falling down drunk. _Famous last words,_ the remaining sober part of his brain reminded him.

"If you say so," Judy said and sipped at her own wine.

Nick swung his head to Judy. "What about you?" he asked as Stu slid the glass back over to Nick's waiting paw.

"I'm fine," Judy, "Pacing myself, remember?"

Nick smiled and leaned back against his chair. "Smart bunny," he said and sipped his wine.

Judy smiled. "I learned from a very sly fox," she said making Nick chuckle.

Stu sat back with a pleased sigh as well, patting his belly and watching with a pleased expression at the easy banter. He sat up and leaned in a bit. "So you really think you can get me in touch with folks in the city, Nick?"

Nick looked back to Stu and shrugged. He was feeling more relaxed than he felt he should be, but everything was going so well. "I don't see why not," he said, "Like I said, I can't make any promises, but I know who to talk to."

"It's the truth, Dad," Judy interjected, "He knows everybody in the city." When they had first met Nick was always saying how he knew everyone, and over the intervening months, whenever they had gotten together for lunch or whatever, he was always waving or saying hi to one mammal or another. The flipside of that was that there had also been a fair share of mammals who gave Nick a wide berth or glares too.

"Well," Stu said thoughtfully, "Not sure when I'll be ready, a bit late in the year now, but if everything goes well, I might have something by the end of next year."

Nick nodded. "I'll ask around when we get back and see who's interested," he said, making a mental list of those whom he still might have some inroads with or favors to ask of.

Everybody remained silent for a minute, lost in thoughts and wine. The sounds of Bonnie bustling about in the kitchen came through the door.

Judy was going to have to pin Nick down about these 'contacts' he was talking about. She didn't want him getting her dad tangled up in anything that could cause trouble, but she wasn't about to broach the subject now.

Bonnie finally returned, backing through the door with a tray loaded with four plates of the still warm pie, a white ball of melting ice cream topping each. "Here we go!" she said,setting the tray down at the end of a table and brought two plates to Nick and Judy.

Nick took the plate gratefully. Now that he saw and smelled the warm blueberries slowly oozing out of the crust, he was quite sure he'd find space in his belly.

Bonnie set Judy's plate down, and as she pulled back, her head did a double take, staring at Judy's neck.

"Oh my," Bonnie said with concern and placed a paw on the back of Judy's neck, feeling the small scabs there, "What happened here?"

Judy froze, a paw poised just above her fork. "Uhh," she said, her mind racing. Unfortunately, her mind was not so much racing as it was swerving all over the road.

Nick, who had leaned over to inhale the scent of the pie froze as well, his eyes going wide and his ears perking straight up.

"What?" Stu asked, suddenly looking concerned and sitting up straighter.

"Those are... bug bites!" Judy finally said a bit too quickly. She tried to calm herself and think. "We, uh," she said, fixing her eyes on Nick's, "Were, chasing a suspect the other day… and, um..."

 _And things were going so well too_ , Nick thought as he looked back at Judy. She seemed to be expecting him to say something, but what? He sat up and nodded. "That's right, we, uh, were chasing a known criminal..." he said still looking at Judy and fervently wishing telepathy was a real thing.

"Flash," Nick said.

"Duke," Judy said at the same time.

"Flash!" Judy quickly corrected.

"Duke!" Nick said just as quickly.

"Duke Flash!" Judy blurted then groaned, putting her elbows on the table and covered her eyes, "Oh carrot sticks..."

Nick gulped and slowly sat up straight. He stared at the far wall above Stu's head, pretending to not notice Bonnie calmly walking about around the table, handing a plate of pie to a befuddled Stu before sitting down herself.

Nobody said anything and Nick, still sitting ramrod straight in his chair, chanced a glance at Bonnie, only moving his eyes.

Bonnie was not looking at either of them as she sat. She calmly set her plate down and picked up a fork. She cut the tip off the wedge of pie and put it in her mouth, chewing thoughtfully.

"What is-" Stu started to say, but Bonnie interrupted him, looking down at her pie again as she cut another piece off.

"Mister Wilde," Bonnie said as she scooped up another forkful, "Did you bite my daughter's neck?" She popped the bite of pie into her mouth and locked eyes with Nick, making a show of chewing deliberately.

Nick's ears flattened and his eyes, already wide, went wider. "I... I... I..." he stuttered. A sudden cowardly inspiration overtook him, and with his left arm, the one farthest from Judy who was sitting to his right, pointed across his body at her. "It was an accident!" he blurted, "She asked me to! She was very insistent about it!" Nick then desperately pawed at his neck. "Look," he said, fingers trying to find the sizable welt Judy had left on him earlier, "She bit me too!" He couldn't find it, the swelling having disappeared in the hours since. He was suddenly not sure why he thought to let that detail out was a good idea in the first place.

Judy groaned, and buried her face further into her paws. "Nick..." she said with a defeated whine in her voice.

Stu looked shocked, eyes wide and mouth working, but with no sound coming out.

Nick swallowed hard, eyes still locked with Bonnie's. Images of torches and pitchforks once again bloomed in his mind until Bonnie suddenly broke the gaze with a very un-Bonnie like giggle.

Judy's head jerked up.

Nick blinked, at a loss as to what just happened.

Bonnie waved a paw at them. "Oh, relax you two," she said. She laughed again at the expressions then sighed, shaking her head. She looked down once more to her pie, cutting into it again to take another bite. She looked back and forth at the stunned expression on both Nick and Judy's faces.

"I... don't understand," Judy said uncertainly.

"That makes two of us," Stu said.

"Me three," Nick ventured, hoping against hope this actually wasn't the disaster that it had first seemed. All the same, he swallowed hard again.

Bonnie looked at Judy for a moment before her attention went back to her pie. It was hard to miss the fact that her inner ears had started to flush too. "I know you think your father and I are two country bumpkin bunnies... well, in your father's case that may be true-"

"Hey!" Stu said, sounding offended, but Bonnie just continued on.

"But... well, I've never told you kids, this, " she said, "But I dated a badger when I was in high school. I know how... bitey predators can be." Bonnie very deliberately did not lift her eyes from her pie.

Judy's jaw dropped. Well, that certainly explained her mother's unusually mellow stance on predators.

"You what?!" Stu barked.

Nick's eyebrows tried to climb up to the ceiling.

"Yes, Stu," Bonnie said with exasperation, "I never told you because I knew how you would react." She sighed heavily, "I blame the wine for this."

"But... but," Stu said, "You... you let him bite you?"

Bonnie closed her eyes and took a big breath. She carefully set her fork down. She rested her elbows on the table, laced her fingers together, focused on some indistinct point in the middle of the table and said, "I didn't let him bite me, I asked him to."

"You what?!" both Judy and Stu said in flabbergasted unison.

Nick turned his head to Judy, finally drumming up the courage to speak now that things seemed to be taking an interesting turn that did not involve his imminent demise. "Well, at least now I know where you get it," he said with a jovial grin.

Judy looked back at Nick, her pupils contracting to pinpricks.

Nick gulped, the amused smile sliding slowly off his muzzle. There was that look again. "Right, right, I'll just be quiet now," he said and shut his mouth even though he rather thought this was exactly the time to talk about such things. He wasn't going to argue the point, however, and busied himself with taking up a fork to try the pie for lack of anything better to do.

Bonnie now seemed flustered herself, some of her calm slipping as she waved her paws. "Oh, honestly," she said, "We were young and... I don't know! Experimenting? Anyways, we called it off when he went off to college." She looked thoughtful for a moment, "I think he's a lawyer now..."

"But… but… Bon" Stu stammered, "Why would ask a badger to… bite you?"

Bonnie's mouth opened then closed. She lifted her paws, waving them in that flustered manner again. "Well.. It's a bit exciting!" she said then looked to Judy, "Judy, dear, back me up here!"

Judy lifted her head from her paws, looking back at her mother with a mortified expression. "You are not seriously asking me this right now!"

"What?" Bonnie said, not exactly meeting anyone's eyes at the moment, "You're the only other mammal at the table with… Experience in such matters!"

"Wha, uh, I… um, I guess it is excit-" Judy started to say then covered her eyes, "This is not the dinner conversation I was hoping for!"

Stu looked at Bonnie for long moments then picked up his wine glass and downed the contents in one long gulp.

Judy dropped her paws and looked at Nick, then her father, watching him hastily pouring himself another glass of wine. She turned her head back to her mother who was silently playing with with a bit of pie on the plate, eyes rather distant in thought. She suddenly reached without thinking, grabbed her still half full glass of wine, and followed her father's example.

"Well," Nick said as he loaded up another forkful, "I don't know about anyone else, but this is the best blueberry pie I've ever had."

* * *

 **Authors Note:**

Firstly - Chapter 19 is already written and in edit!

Secondly - So, any of you who have been following me on Reddit know that something is up with the story. After a discussion last week with one of my editors, Mord, who is actually an editor in RL, I got into re-vamping my early chapters. Mord and Matt, my two heavy hitting editors, did not come on board until late in the game. Mord around chapter 12, Matt a chapter or two later - I think. Gotriss is my non-native editor who has been with me since the start and has gone through as well. Anyways, time blurs.. I knew the early chapters needed to be re-edited but when I went back to actually read them I was mortified at how awful they were, and fixing them that has become an overriding priority. As Mord said about it "Yeah... I meant to talk to you about that.." and as I told Mord "It's like walking out of a public bathroom and getting all the way down the block before you realize you're trailing toilet paper behind you."

Mord and I, along with Grotiss, have gone back through Chapters 1 and 2. I personally have re-edited chapters up to 5 and am continuing on. I will be posting over those two chapters here and adding others as they are completed. While the story is pretty much the same, the melodrama and Sappy Nick have been drained early on. Judy has been given a bit more agency, and some other various tweaks, additions, or changes have been made so that the early chapters are now more like the later ones in tone and style. The chapters generally get better as time goes on as I knock off the rust of not writing in 20 years, but regardless of how good I think something is Mord drowns me in a sea of correction red for not only additions/changes but my my generally piss poor punctuation placement. I am a horrible comma splicer, which I have taken lengths to correct. (Ugh... like being back in English class in the 80s...)

Outside of the early stuff being written in the weeks after the movies release when all us WildeHopps fans were just going nuts, I fell into the same trap that all FanFic authors do who publish chapters at a at time and that is not putting the whole thing away for months and then coming back to edit and re-write. I usually store things away for a few days then come back, but that's nothing compared to a year later. A year later with an awesome editing team the whole thing is in dire need of a re-write and I think will be much better for it. I may have to give Mord co-author credit at this rate! The problem some may run into are the shift in quality between Mord-Edit and JustMe-Edits. Plus I have completely changed some things like the initial meeting with Honey that has been completely re-written to jive with the seriousness of Nick's reaction to her etc.. You'll see. Chapters 1 and 2 are up now and I would be interested to get some feedback!


	19. Chapter 19 - When it Rains, it Pours

Judy closed the outer door to her parent's residence after Nick walked by. She leaned back against the door and sighed. Nick paused and turned to her, watching the distracted and slightly worried look on Judy's face.

After a few very awkward few minutes of pie eating, they had been excused — almost ejected, Nick noted, from the dining room, and a hushed conversation had started up before the door had even closed. He was about to say something when Judy suddenly doubled over laughing as her paws came up to cover her muzzle.

"Ow, ow," Judy said between the laughs, a paw going to low on her belly, "I... I... ow... can't believe it!"

Nick tried to keep himself calm but his lips quirked. A snort, followed by an alcohol-fueled giggle, escaped his lips. "Gotta... gotta say Fluff," he said, "I was not expecting that at all."

Judy straightened up, a paw on her chest and the other low on her belly. She leaned back against the closed doors and panted. "Oh... oh, " she huffed and gulped, eyes tearing, "did... did you see the look on dad's face? He was... he was..." She broke down into another fit of giggling and wincing.

Nick chuckled along with her. It certainly had been a shock, to say the very least. Out of all the things he had imagined or expected from Bonnie, that wasn't anywhere close to being on the list.

Judy slowly calmed. Half the reaction was due to the wine, she thought, but still. She swallowed hard again and rubbed the back of a paw over her nose. "Well," she said sniffing and wiping at her eyes, "Mom's mellow view on predators makes a lot more sense now."

"I thought we were done for there at first," Nick said and pushed off the door, "Speaking of which... chasing a criminal? Smooth, Fluff, real smooth. And Duke? Seriously?"

Judy's ears flushed and she glared at Nick. "Hey!" she said, "I... uh..." She shrugged with exaggeration. "I was looking at the pie, and that made me think of desert, then I thought about that doughnut, and, I don't know, Duke just popped out!"

"You know," Nick said as he examined the tips of his claws, "That really is the kind of thing you should have thought of before now."

Judy rolled her eyes and pushed off the doors as well. She took a deep breath. Things were a bit... wobbly. She realized downing the rest of her wine may not have been her wisest decision.

Nick looked down the short side hall to the main hallway. He had vaguely registered the sound of footfall and the heavy front door opening and closing. He also noticed the noise from the main hall had quieted. "So, there's some party going on outside?" When they had exited the dining room, he'd seen dim light illuminating the gazebo beyond the kitchen window with several rabbits standing around.

"Hmm?" Judy asked and looked up at Nick. She stopped to brush her paws down her front, composing herself. "Oh," she said, "That was the plan... unless you didn't want to?"

Nick made a show of cracking his knuckles and grinned. "I'm up for it, Fluff. I'm feeling pretty suave right now," he said, "We did come here to be seen after all."

Judy made a noncommittal noise. She was still mad about the whole power couple nonsense the city council had latched onto. She took a deep breath in hopes of her head clearing a bit and started forward. "Okay then," she said,"Let's do this."

Nick fell in step as they made their way outside, following Judy through the now familiar rush of air when the big front doors opened and let in the noise of dozens of voices chattering.

Nick looked around in surprise. The entire covered porch had been transformed from one end to the other. Colored paper lamps hung from hooks randomly up and down the covered front area, each glowing in various colors from a flickering light inside. Tiki torches had been stuck into the walkway leading to the stairs, and there were rabbits filling a majority of the space and spilling out onto a lawn.

"Whoa," Nick said as he looked around, "Now this is what I'm talking about! Is this all because of us?"

Judy grinned. "Nope! Well, maybe a bit, but this is pretty normal for a weekend night," she said, "The Hopps clan works hard, but we also play hard." She beckoned with a paw. "Come on," she said and headed towards the large gazebo area again. Nick hesitated for a moment before hurrying after her.

Rabbits, several whom Nick recognized from the meet and greet earlier, called out and raised paws to him. Nick replied in kind, as did Judy. The whole family couldn't be out here, but at least half of them seemed to be.

Nick was sure this was all the wine's contemplative effects on him, but this all seemed so foreign to him. When he had been just a kit, there had never been anything like this. The closest he could come was the rare block party where everyone had come out to celebrate one thing or another, but those had been so few and far between and he could hardly remember them. Here in Bunnyburrow, though, it seemed downright commonplace.

"You guys..." Nick said, a sudden emotion rising up in his chest, "I..."

Judy looked at Nick, catching the sudden tone his voice. "Nick, what is it?" she asked with a concerned voice raised over the noise and slowed her walk, sliding in close.

 _It's the wine, is what it is,_ Nick thought. He shook his head and reigned in his emotions. He looked down at Judy. He gave her a brave smile, putting an arm around her as they walked to the more open area. Rabbits near and far noticed them and called out, waving. "I just... we never had anything like this when I was a kit," he said. "It was just mom and me, and everybody else just kept to themselves. Heck, we hardly knew the neighbors."

Judy couldn't imagine what growing up in the city must have been like. When she was still learning to talk, surrounded by countless family members, Nick had already been on the street hustling.

Nick smiled and cleared his throat. He tugged Judy to his side as they walked out into the large gazebo area. "It's okay," he said, voiced raised over the noise of a hundred rabbits chatting, "I'm fine."

Judy sighed and turned into him. She ignored all of her family milling around them, looking at them and peering curiously. "Don't lie to me," she said, eyes seeking his out. He seemed reluctant to look back.

Nick sighed and let his eyes find Judy's. It really was the wine talking here. That was the problem with alcohol, one of the many reasons he generally avoided it. For him, it tended to bring repressed memories and old wounds to the surface. _Plus, nobody likes a morose drunk, he thought_. He smiled. "I'm okay, really."

"You are a horrible liar, Wilde," Judy said with a snort.

Nick snorted right back. "I am a fantastic liar, and you know it," he retorted.

Judy giggled quietly and put a paw to her head. "I drank too much wine," she said.

"See," Nick said, "I'm a bad influence, but you sure make a cu... adorable drunk."

Judy grinned, snuggling up against Nicks' front for a quick hug. "Nice save there, slick." She knew it was a joke, but honestly, she was was a little concerned. She did not want to make this drinking a habit. She saw the still somewhat troubled look on Nick's face.

"Seriously," she said, "Are you okay?"

Nick nodded. "I'm fine, trust me," he said. Regret was an emotion he was all too used to dealing with.

Judy looked at him, uncertain and searching his face. "Alright," she said, "But if you want to get out of here, all you have to do is say the word, okay? You're our guest, after all."

"Deal," Nick said and smiled. He ducked down to be heard easier as his eyes scanned the surroundings. "So, now what?"

Judy stepped back and looked around as well with her paws on her hips. A lot of eyes were on them. "I don't know," she said, "mingle?"

Mingling was something Nick was quite good at. It came with being superficially good with mammals, which had pretty much been one of the main requirements of his previous life. At first, he and Judy had stood around and talked to some Judy's brothers and sisters, several of whom Nick hadn't met earlier.

Judy's parents arrived before long, whatever conversation they had had back in the dining room put behind them. Bonnie went back and forth several times, enlisting some of the younger set to help bring out trays of snacks. Someone had already brought out two big sports coolers, one with some kind of orange drink in it, the other with ice water. Nick thought it all had the look of long practice and familiarity about it.

Everybody seemed to be giving them their space. Outside of the occasional wave or hello, they were mostly being left to themselves and made Judy feel awkward. This was especially true when it was obvious they were the center of many of the conversations going on around them.

Eventually, Judy shooed at Nick. "Go on," she said sipping at some of the sweet orange and carrot drink she had gotten "I don't want us to seem joined at the hip all night."

Nick grimaced some. "Do I have to?" he asked, purposefully putting a childlike whine in his voice.

Judy snorted into her red plastic cup. "Yes, and I think some of my sisters want to talk to me, uh, alone," she said and nodded to a group of female rabbits standing on the lawn in a group just off the Gazebo. They were watching Nick and Judy with particular interest, but when Nick looked in their direction they all suddenly found other things to be more interested in.

"Oh, alright," Nick said with a suffering sigh, "If I'm not back in half an hour, send out a search party."

Judy laughed and gave Nick a little push. "Go on, but behave yourself."

Nick rolled his eyes and started walking backward. "You're not the boss of me, rabbit!"

Judy raised an eyebrow and bore a look that Nick thought could be the spitting image of Bonnie.

He grinned and winked, spinning around on his heels and heading towards the coolers to get a drink for himself.

* * *

Nick made his way down the long veranda. The structure was impressive and nearly a building in it's own right being wide and easily stretching the hundred feet or so of the entire front of the burrow with a rounded arch where the main door was. Even as wide as it was it was still packed with rabbits tonight, forcing him to weave and slide through groups of chattering groups often with a 'Hey there!' or 'Good to see you again!' as he passed those he had talked to or met earlier. He found it interesting that rabbits actually built on a large scale, but on a scale for numbers and not size.

As Nick was drawing close to the set of coolers, a rabbit jumped in front of him. He was gray, with a fur pattern much like Judy's, just without the black tipped ears. He was dressed in a simple white t-shirt and dark colored shorts. The multi-colored glow from the hanging lanterns made colors hard to identify. For the life of him, Nick couldn't remember a name if it had even been told to him.

"You won!" the rabbit said, holding two large plastic cups both brimming with liquid.

How the rabbit had managed that jump without the contents of the cups slopping all over was beyond Nick. It was then he also realized this was a rather drunk rabbit. He didn't pay his inebriation much mind; he knew his way around the intoxicated.

"I did?" Nick said back in the same excited tone and expression, mimicking the rabbit's wide-legged stance with arms slightly extended out to the sides. "What'd I win?"

"A drink!" the rabbit said and handed Nick one of the full cups.

"Fantastic!" Nick said and looked into the cup, "What is it?"

"Same thing from earlier!" the rabbit said, "Carrot juice and carrot vodka!"

At that moment, Nick remembered this was the same rabbit that had slipped him the drinks earlier in the main hall.

"You!" Nick said, pointing, voiced raised to carry over the noise of music and conversation all around.

"Me!" the rabbit said, arms out expansively and a big bucktoothed grin on his face.

Nick laughed and slid in close. He put a friendly arm around the rabbit's shoulders and turned the now somewhat startled rabbit around, guiding him to the outside railing so they weren't blocking the walkway. The bunny was surprised, but recovered well enough and let himself be maneuvered towards the railing.

"Buddy," Nick said, giving the surprised rabbit a friendly shake around the shoulders, "I didn't catch your name before."

"Uh," the rabbit said, recovering from the sudden comradely fox arm draped over him. "Kalvin!" he said and started to relax.

Nick tried not to grin. He didn't mean or want to unnerve Kalvin with his sudden foxy proximity, he had just wanted to get him out of the way. He let go and turned around to sit on the railing. He raised his cup to another rabbit he recognized from earlier that he had talked shop with about guitars, and the rabbit did likewise with a smile as she passed.

"I never got a chance to thank you for those drinks earlier," Nick said.

Kalvin took Nick's lead and hopped up to sit on the railing too, wobbling to the point Nick had to dart an arm out to steady him.

"Maybe I should... " Kalvin said and slid off the railing to lean back against it instead, "Just... yeah." He leaned over and said in a whisper or, at least, what passed for a whisper in the noise, "I'm kinda drunk."

Nick raised his eyebrows in feigned shock, placing a paw on his chest. "No!" he said with a theatrical melodrama he knew would have made Judy proud.

Kalvin ducked his chin, making a little hiccup noise. "S'true..." he said and shook his head. He looked at Nick, and his head swung too and fro. "S'what'd you say?"

Nick chuckled. "I said thanks for the drinks earlier."

"Oh!" Kalvin said and waved a paw dismissively, "You looked like you could use one." Kalvin sniffed loudly and seemed to make a concerted effort to rally his faculties. "I can't imagine comin' t'meet mom'n'dad was all that easy, you know, with... with everything." He waved a paw vaguely the covered his muzzle to let out a burp then continued, "The paper'n every... everything... bein' a fox..."

"It was certainly an experience," Nick said with a chuckle and lifted the cup to his lips to take a tentative sip of the contents, letting the comment of 'being a fox' just roll off him. He pulled his head back as the liquid burned down his throat. He coughed and held the cup out, eyeing it. "Kalvin," he wheezed, "What's this again?"

"Hmm?" Kalvin hummed and narrowed his eyes at the cup. "Same as before... carrot juice n'vodka."

Nick pulled the cup close and looked down into it. It was dim with only the lantern lights but he could still see straight to the bottom of the cup. "I think you may have forgotten the juice," he said.

Kalvin blinked and peered at his own glass, its contents quite orange, then leaned over to peer into Nicks. "Oh, heck..." he said then reached to take Nick's glass in an unsteady paw, "Just let me..." Kalvin looked back and forth at the cups in each paw for a moment, muttering under his breath. "Jus... just give me a sec." He started to make his unsteady way towards the coolers, "B'right back..."

Nick watched Kalvin with a mix of amusement and concern. "That was one very drunk rabbit," he mumbled to himself.

"So," said a light female voice to the other side, "I see you've met our resident alcoholic, or one of them, anyway."

Nick turned his head.

She was tall for a rabbit, taller than Judy by nearly a head and seemed several years older, too. Her fur had the light tan color half the family seemed to sport, darkening slightly around the muzzle. She wore a simple pastel orange toned dress paired with a lighter tan cardigan, unbuttoned and open down the front. She sipped from her own cup, peering at Nick curiously over the rim with dark eyes.

Nick tried to place a name. He had met her briefly earlier in the main hall, but due to the noise of the crowd conversation, had never gone farther than the basic pleasantries. He squinted at her and sucked air through his teeth. "Helen...?" he asked tentatively.

The rabbit grinned and gave a little laugh. "Close, Heidi, " she said.

"Ah, sorry. I'm usually good with names..." Nick said, trailing off and gesturing vaguely at the burrow.

Heidi smiled. "It's okay, I know there's a lot of us."

"There certainly is," Nick said, returning the smile, but was a bit unnerved by the thoughtful look Heidi was giving him. _Not another one_ , he pleaded inwardly. He suddenly wished Kalvin would hurry back with that, hopefully fixed, drink... or perhaps not so fixed.

"Mind if I ask you a question?" Heidi said then, turning to face Nick, leaning her hip against the railing.

"Fire away," Nick said, afraid of what it might be.

"What's living in the city like?" she asked, "I mean, I've talked to Judy before and visited a few times, but I'd like to get native's take on it."

Nick raised his eyebrows. "Why? You thinking of moving there?" he asked. This must be what Judy had been talking about with her parent's concern about some of her siblings wanting to strike off on their own to the 'Big City.'

Heidi shrugged and raised her chin to someone to Nick's right. "Hey, Lilly," she said.

Nick turned; another one of Judy's sisters was standing close, ears perked attentively. She was short and gray, with features a bit a bit more square and rugged. She was dressed in a t-shirt and shorts, making it difficult to recall if he had met her earlier or not. The name didn't register, but he wasn't sure. He hated to say all rabbits looked the same, but when around this many it in dim light, it was hard not to think it.

Lilly raised a paw in a little wave. "Don't mind me," she said in a silky voice that didn't match her more stout features, "I'm just listening. What are you guys talking about?"

Heidi sipped her drink. "I asked Nick here what it's like living in the city," she said and looked at Nick again, "So?"

Nick looked back to Heidi then back forward. He narrowed his eyes hand inhaled deeply through his nostrils. He rubbed his paws together as he thought. "Well," he said eventually, "It's busy, it's fast." He thought some more, resting his paws on his knees. "It can be full of hope and despair at the same time," he said, "But there's a lot less separation of the species, too." He waved at the burrow. "Like here," he explained, "In Bunnyburrow, it's mostly all rabbits, right?"

Heidi nodded.

"Pretty much," said Lilly.

Nick nodded. "Well, in Zootopia you have everybody from tiny mice to huge elephants, and we're all taking the same subway, all walking the same streets, generally all getting along," he said then added, "When psychotic sheep are not trying to start a species war, that is."

This last got a little chuckle from Lilly and more of a frown from Heidi.

"Judy told us a lot about all that, " Heidi said, "It all sounded pretty scary to me."

"Darlin'," Nick said with emphasis, "You don't know the half of it."

"Hey there, Nick!" said another voice. Nick looked over to spot a rabbit he recognized.

"Hey there, Harry!" Nick said and raised a paw. There was another young male rabbit trailing Harry. The newcomer was dressed in a tight, black, armless t-shirt and some extremely tight fitting jeans. Nick hadn't met him, but did remember he had been part of the group Harry had been chatting with back in the main hall.

Harry noted Nick's gaze and turned. "Oh, this our brother, Magnus."

Magnus stepped forward and elbowed Harry to the side. He offered a paw to Nick. "Just call me Mags," he said in a silky, and Nick noticed rather feminine, voice.

Nick shook the smaller paw gently, fur prickling up his spine at the look he was getting. "Uh, nice to meet you, Mags!" Nick said, keeping the tone friendly.

"Mmm," Mags hummed, not letting Nick's paw go. He made a sucking sound through those big front teeth as he looked up and down. "I think I understand my sister's new, ah, predilections, pun fully intended. You certainly are one fit looking example of the species. Mmm!"

"Mags!" Harry hissed at his brother.

"Oh shut up, Harry," Mags said as he finally let Nick's paw go and waved at his brother,"Jus' because you're still half in the closet doesn't mean I have to be."

Nick wasn't sure how letting one's paw go could be sexual, but Mags had somehow done it with the way his soft furred fingers had slid out of his light grasp. He covered his mouth with a fist and coughed. "Ah, ahem, uh, thanks, Mags," Nick said, "I'm flattered, really."

Mag smiled lecherously. "Oh, honey, I'll be more than flattering if you give me half the chance."

Nick wasn't sure how to respond, and his ears splayed out subconsciously.

"Oh, cut it out, Mags," Heidi said in amusement more than anything, "Stop tormenting the guest."

Mags rolled his eyes. "Y'all are a bunch of sticks in the mud, you know that?" He tugged Harry as he started to move down the veranda. "It was nice meeting you Nick, very nice. Come along, Harry. We need to see what our aforementioned sister is up to. It sounds like they're having fun down there." He waggled his fingers at Nick as he started off, weaving through his family members.

"We do?" Harry said as he was pulled along, sparing a quick wave at Nick.

Nick put his head in his paws and let out a groan. This was so not what he had been expecting.

Both Heidi and Lilly giggled.

"Something wrong, Nick?" Lilly asked, voice thick with barely suppressed laughter.

Nick sighed. _Where is Kalvin and that damn drink?,_ he wondered as he lifted his head from his paws to look. Much to his dismay, he caught a glimpse of the drunk rabbit sprawled in a chair next to the coolers and snacks, apparently passed out. "I expected a lot of things coming here," he said with a sigh and looked back and forth at the two, "But being propositioned, several times, was not one of them."

Both Heidi and Lilly giggled again.

"Oh Nick," Heidi said, "It's not just you." She looked Lilly for a moment, some unspoken meaning in the glance. "You might say your relationship with Jude has opened doors to the more, ah, adventurous of us who didn't, um, realize there was even a door there."

Nick grunted. "And are you two part of that group?"

"Not me," Lilly said with a light scoffing noise. "I'm not into preds," she said. It was quickly amended with, "No offense, Nick."

"None taken," Nick said, almost relieved. He turned to Heidi. "What about you?"

Heidi took another one sip of her drink, ducking her head slightly while eying Nick up and down slowly. She lifted her head and shrugged. "I'd take you for a test drive."

Lilly burst out laughing while Nick groaned.

"What?" Heidi asked, a smile on her muzzle, "I happen to think males of all species can be handsome. What's wrong with that?"

Lilly was too busy snickering at Nick's discomfort to reply.

"Please tell me that's not why you're thinking of moving to the city?" Nick said, now having a hard time meeting Heidi's gaze, but somehow managing it.

"What?" Heidi said, ears perking, "Goodness, no. I'm going to start my undergrad at the University in the fall. I just wanted to know what I'm in for. I'll likely stay in Zootopia, too. Not much call for aerospace engineers out here in Bunnyburrow, you know?"

Nick's ears perked up as well. "Aerospace, huh?"

"She wants to work on the space program," Lilly supplied, having mostly recovered from her snickering.

"Who knows," Heidi continued, "If I play my cards right, I might be the first rabbit in space. I'm hoping to work on the space station they're planning."

"Oh, yeah," Lilly said with a snort, "One of their kits strapped to the top of a rocket will thrill mom and dad."

Heidi returned the snort. "Mom and Dad are the world's worst helicopter parents."

"What about you?" Nick asked as he turned to Lilly.

"Me?" Lilly said, "I'm staying right here and farming."

Heidi rolled her eyes. "She's bought into the 'noble carrot farmer' propaganda dad is always feeding us."

"There's nothing wrong with being a farmer!" Lilly snapped back.

Nick held his paws up. "Ladies, ladies," he said in a calming tone, "Let's not fight. They're both noble professions and goals, and if Kalvin had come back with my drink, I would toast you both."

"Where did he go, anyways?" Heidi wondered as she stood up on her tiptoes to look around.

Nick inclined his head towards where he had spied the passed out buck in the chair. "He's out cold next to the coolers over there."

The pair simply shook their heads in disgust.

"We're going to have to do something about that," Heidi said.

"Yup, before his liver falls out," Lilly added.

"That bad, huh?" Nick asked.

"Oh yeah," Lilly said in an unhappy tone, "You may have noticed there isn't a lot to do here in Bunnyburrow. Making booze is the number one hobby. Number two is drinking it." She raised her chin to Heidi. "You want to help me get him inside and into bed before Mom finds him?"

Heidi seemed to think for a moment then sighed, nodding. "Okay."

"You need any help?" Nick asked, sliding off the railing.

"Maybe," Lilly said over her shoulder, "Let's see if we can get him up and walking first."

They formed a small semicircle around the comatose Kalvin when they reached him. The two cups he had be carrying were perched on the table next to him, looking untouched.

"Kalvin!" Heidi said and leaned in to give the snoring rabbits cheek a few firm pats. She received no response. "Kalvin!" she said again, shaking his shoulder.

"Here," Lilly said and stepped over, filling a plastic cup with icy water.

Heidi blew her cheeks out and stepped aside as Lilly unceremoniously dumped the entire cup over Kalvin's head

This did get a reaction. Kalvin jerked upright, sputtering with arms and legs flailing. "Th'fuck!" he yelped, drawing some chuckles and clucks of disapproval from those nearby.

Lilly looked at Heidi, and after a nod, they moved in to lift Kalvin to his feet.

"Come on Kal," Heidi said, "Let's get you to bed."

"I d'wanna go t'bed!" Kalvin slurred and tried to jerk himself free, but was in no condition to fight his two sisters. His cheeks suddenly bulged out and he seemed to make a concerted effort to swallow.

"I swear by everything holy, " Lilly said, "If you throw up on me Kal, Mom will cry when she sees what I've done to you."

Kalvin blinked, not even seeing Nick standing right there ready to step in if needed.

"I thh..." Kal started, hiccuped loudly, then carefully enunciated, "I think I should go to bed."

Heidi waved a paw in front of her face. "Oh gods, Kal," did you just swallow a mouthful of vomit?"

Kal nodded and raised a finger, wagging it as the two started to lead him off. "It was very... very alcoholic vomit... hate to waste it."

"Oh, stop," Lilly groaned as they moved towards the front door, "You're making me want to puke now."

Nick watched them go, while others helped with the door as Lilly and Heidi guided the half-conscious Kal back inside.

He signed and puffed his cheeks out, looking down at the two cups Kal had set down earlier. He really wanted that drink now. He stared at the cups intently for a few moments, thumb and index finger of his left paw pinching and pulling at the flesh between the same fingers on his right. The latent lush in him won out. He reached for an empty cup and looked around. Sure enough, under the table was a large box style cooler packed with ice and cooling cans of some soft drink.

He filled the cup a quarter full with ice then picked up the two cups Kal had had. He poured in equal amounts from each until the new cup was full. He swirled the contents with a finger for a moment and took a sip. Not his preferred poison, he thought, but he wasn't drinking it for the taste, so it would do.

He turned around and looked back and forth. He could see over most everybody's head, the forest of erect rabbit ears notwithstanding. Judy was still in the gazebo talking to that gaggle of her sisters, along with Harry and Mags, he noticed. He looked the other direction and started to wander that way down the veranda.

He was surprised how little attention anyone seemed to pay him. There were the curious looks, of course, and the occasionally raised paw or "Hey, Nick!", but that was about the extent of it. He did get the feeling, however, that most were unsure about how to approach him, even if they wanted to.

He did stop at one point to chat with one of other musician types whose name he did remember; Norris. He was short and of the darker colored fur that reminded him all too much of Katherine, but who could hardly be twenty if he was a day.

Norris informed Nick they planned to get the band going in the next half hour or so, and wondered if he wanted to join them for a jam. Nick wasn't entirely sure what kind of music they'd play, but he he figured he could follow along without too much trouble. _Another good 'impress Judy' moment,_ he thought, _Probably Stu, too._

Nick broke away after a few minutes, excusing himself when he spied the one other rabbit he kind of knew - Jackie. She was leaning against the rail at the far end of the veranda by herself and swinging a big red drink cup idly back and forth between two fingers. He squinted in the dim light. Her ears were down, and the expression looked melancholy.

He threaded his way through a knot of chattering rabbits and up next to Jackie. He leaned back against the railing, and noticed everybody around them seemed to be giving Jackie wide berth. "Hey there," he said.

Jackie perked a bit, ears coming up, and looked at him. "Oh," she said with a smile that did not reach her eyes, "Hey Nick. How's the Hopps burrow treating you so far?"

Nick rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Well," he said, "Outside of being under the apparent threat of being molested if I'm not careful, a lot better than I expected."

Jackie let out a little giggle, and Nick thought her smile was genuine this time. "Well, we rabbits are not known as the most chaste species on the planet," she said and took a drink from her cup.

Nick looked sidelong down at Jackie, swirling his drink around for a moment. "So, what about you? Why so gloomy?" he asked when nothing else was forthcoming.

Jackie's expression seemed to harden, and she looked down into her cup. "Oh, I'm fine," she said.

Nick snorted and brought his cup to his lips. "And Judy says I'm a terrible liar."

Jackie was silent for several long moments, her ears falling as she stared down into her cup. "You really want to know?"

Nick wasn't actually sure he did, but in for a pinch, as the saying went. "I'm told I'm a good listener."

Jackie gave another one of those half smiles and seemed to rally herself. "Jude ever tell you much about Bill?"

Nick's eyebrows raised. "Uh, not really. Just that they had some kind of brief fling back in high school. Is this the same Bill...?" he said, letting the question trail off.

Jackie nodded. "Same one I'm married to," she said and took a large swallow of the contents of her cup, "Or rather, was. He's on his way over right now to drop the kits off... and the signed divorce papers. We've been separated for months."

Nick winced. "Ooh, ouch. I'm sorry, I didn't-" he began, but Jackie waved him off.

"It's okay," she sighed, staring off into the darkness, "Not your fault. If it's anyone's, it's mine for being willfully blind to the obvious."

 _Open mouth, insert foot, twist vigorously,_ Nick thought to himself, _but too late now._ "What happened? If you don't mind me asking, of course."

Jackie gave a little snort and a sad smile. "Judy happened," she said.

"Uh," Nick said. He didn't know exactly where this was leading, but given what he did know, he had a pretty good idea. "So," he said and turned around to lean over the railing with Jackie, "Ol' Bill has been carrying a torch for Judy all this time?"

Jackie shrugged. "Pretty much," she said and downed the last of the contents of her cup.

Nick didn't say anything else. Jackie seemed to be collecting her thoughts, so she let her.

After a minute of quiet, or as quiet as it could be out here, Jackie spoke up. "So, about a year after Judy broke it off with Bill, we started dating." She started idly playing with the now empty cup in her fingers, looking at it as if it were the most fascinating object in the world. "We were kind of on and off for a few years, then things started getting serious. We got married, had some kits... everything was good for few years... then Judy was all over the news. First with making the police force, then the whole nighthowler thing."

Jackie went silent once more and Nick could see the muscles of her jaw clenching as her teeth ground down.

"It all just kind of went downhill from there," Jackie continued after a bit, "He just became... I don't know, obsessed with her all over again." She shrugged, "And here we are."

Nick winced again. _Not good_ , he thought. He reached over and tipped some of his drink into her cup. "I think you need it more than I do," he said, "So, he's just throwing everything away for... what, exactly? Does he have some fantasy about winning Judy back?"

Jackie sighed heavily. "I don't know, probably? But it's not like he's really confessed and laid all his plans out to me," she said and shook her head, "It's, ugh, it's creepy, really."

Nick raised an eyebrow, a tingle running up his back. There had been a few psychology classes in the academy, and this was starting to raise red flags. "We talking sad stalker creepy or murder-suicide creepy?" he asked.

Jackie blinked and turned her head to look at him. "You sure know how to put a doe at ease," she said, "Thanks for that."

Nick's ears flagged and he offered an apologetic smile. "Sorry," he chuckled, "I'm a cop, they kind of train us to think paranoid." The words felt alien in his mouth, but there they were.

Jackie blew out a breath and looked thoughtful and shook her head. "Well, if you had asked me a week ago, I might have said sad stalker," she said and went quiet for few moments as she seemed to gather her thoughts. "At first I just thought he was cheating on me," she said, pausing to take a drink then looked down into her cup, "I think I could have handled that." She blinked rapidly and swallow. "Look, um, can we-" she said but Nick held a paw up to cut her off.

"No, no," he said, "You've said enough," he said. He was starting to succumb to the guilt building in his chest for prying in the first place. "Look, does Judy know about this?"

Jackie tensed. "No, and I'd like to keep it that way, if it's okay with you," she said.

Nick blew out a breath. "Okay, mums the word," he said and looked meaningfully past Jackie back down the length of the veranda, "But if he's coming over here, does he know we're here, too?"

"Oh, he knows you two are here. I mean, who doesn't?" Jackie said then gave a spiteful little laugh, "I talked to him earlier today and he promised to behave himself."

Jackie peered into the distance and stood up. "Speak not his name lest he appear," she said under her breath.

Nick followed her gaze to the headlights in the distance coming down the long driveway, which looked to be coming at a speed much too fast and swerving erratically as it rounded the bend. A cold feeling of dread settled in his stomach.

He could feel the tension and heat rising off Jackie as she tensed up. She dropped the cup onto the grass below, instead gripping the railing with so much force Nick could swear he could feel the whole section bowing inward.

"You can not be serious," Jackie hissed and hopped over the railing as the dark sedan came skidding to a stop in the gravel in a half fishtail. As soon as the car stopped moving the back doors sprung open, a half dozen or more wailing rabbit kits boiling out of the back seats and came running towards their mother, half illuminated by the skewed headlights.

"Oh boy, " Nick said as his mind raced, "This isn't going to end well." He hopped over the railing to follow Jackie and turned around. The commotion drew every rabbit's attention Silence washed down the porch like a wave as the chatter died completely.

"Everybody just stay where you are! Let us handle this!" Nick said. His police training kicked in, and he backpedaled for a few steps, trying to assuage the curious looks from the crowd before turning and running after Jackie. While he and Judy were out of their jurisdiction, Zootopia did have jurisdictional agreements with all of the counties and burrows out to several hundred miles giving them the power to detain and arrest under certain circumstances. Nick knew reckless driving and child endangerment would certainly fit.

"Bill!" Jackie yelled with murder in her voice as she stalked towards the car. The only thing stopping her was the mass of crying kits that nearly bowled her over and surrounded her.

"Judy!" Nick yelled to the far end of the long porch, but with his superior night vision he saw she was already coming down the steps of the gazebo and raising a paw to him as she angled towards the confrontation and began to hurry.

* * *

Judy braced herself as Nick walked away. The group of her sisters didn't come surging up the stairs right away. Instead, they watched Nick walk away and huddled closer for a few minutes, all giggles and flicking tails.

Judy rolled her eyes and turned to smile, and waving to a few others. The days of getting mobbed when she was at home and pelted with questions had ebbed considerably over the past year. As she walked through the party, she was able to part the sea of rabbits without much trouble. She still felt several pairs of eyes on her, though, reminding her she still held somewhat of a celebrity status. It unsettled her to have family treat her like that, but she understood. Even though the initial excitement had blown over months ago, she was still famous ZPD officer Judy Hopps.

Her reverie was broken when a group of her sisters came bustling up the stairs and surrounded her with chattering excitement. She sighed as they encircled her, looking expectantly, ears up and noses quivering.

"Well?" Julie said.

"Well, what?" Judy asked. She tried not to let her mild irritation at being grilled over her new relationship leech into her voice. After all, she'd known this was coming.

One of the others, Leona, bounced up and down on her feet. "What's it like?" she asked in a breathless tone.

"I hear they have like, this bit down there that swells up, " Mary said, "It locks you together with them for like, hours!"

Jasmine sucked in a breath. "That sounds so romantic!" she said then looked at Judy, "Have you done that?"

Judy groaned as the group's attention focused on her intently, noses and ears twitching. She rubbed a paw down her face. "I swear, sometimes I don't know how I'm from the same family," she muttered through a sigh, her inner ears turning pink. "Yes, Mary, they do have that, and no we have not done, er, that specifically. He's just..." she huffed, looking for the right words and finally just raised her paws and let them drop, "He's just too big!"

This caused a round of twittering giggles which, in turn, had the unfortunate effect of drawing more attention, and others started to join the group.

"Have you let him bite you?" asked Jasmine in a hushed voice, "I hear they like to bite."

Judy opened her mouth and then shut it, looking down. She tried to say something again, but her mind had completely blanked out.

"Oh my gods! You have!"

Judy steeled herself, thankful for the buzz the wine was giving her. "I, um, kind of asked him to."

This brought another round of gasps and giggles.

Kathleen patted her chest and puffed out a breath. "That sounds so hot," she said breathily.

"Doesn't it, you know, hurt?" Rosalyn, one of the youngest of the group .Judy wondered if she should even be talking about these things in front of someone her age.

Before Judy could answer, her mother spoke up off to the side.

"Well, she's got bite marks on her neck, so figure it out for yourself, " Bonnie said.

Judy whipped her head around. Bonnie was standing off to the side, almost hidden from view. "Mom!" she squeaked.

"You do?" half the crowd said in unison. They surged forward, all clamoring to see. Judy backed up, fending off her sisters with a raised paws. "Hey!" she said and pointed back at her mother. "She dated a badger in high school and did the same thing!" she blurted out.

"Judy!" Bonnie yelped out.

As one the group turned heads at Bonnie.

"Mom!" Giggles broke out amongst the crowd.

"You started this!" Judy accused. She couldn't help giggling herself at the vexed expression on her mother's face.

Bonnie rolled her eyes and took another sip of a rather full glass of wine she was holding. "Yes, it's true. Your mother dated a badger in her misspent youth."

"And you let him bite you?" someone asked in a disbelieving tone.

"I did," Bonnie said matter of factly.

"Oh, no no no, " Judy said, "You said, and I quote, 'I didn't let him bite me, I asked him too.'"

"Oh, my gods, mom!" called someone from the back.

"What's going on here?" Mags and Harry had entered the crowd from behind the group.

"Mom dated a badger in highschool and asked him to bite her!" one of Judy's sisters helpfully supplied.

"Get out of town," Mags said in disbelief.

"Oh, wow," said Harry, equally shocked.

Bonnie glared at Judy again. "Do you see what you've done?" she asked Judy.

Judy waggled her eyebrows back at her mother and took another sip of her drink, glad the focus was off herself, if only for a moment.

It distraction didn't last, though. Before long, the group had split its attention between her and her mother. Most of the questions directed at her revolved around her and Nick, again, but the topic did gradually shift to more general questions. Mags, in particular, seemed very interested in what he called 'the party scene' in the city. She told him he'd have to talk to Nick about that, as she didn't know a thing about it.

After a time, it dawned on Judy that most of this group were the ones her mom was so worried about moving to the city. Mags seemed like a sure bet in retrospect, being the fussy neatnik he was and always complaining about getting dirty in the fields. She could see him as a city rabbit easily. Harry, too.

She was listening to one of her sisters ask about the cost of living in the city when the noise of a car sliding on gravel reached her ears. This was quickly followed by the sounds of crying kits. Silence seemed to wash down the veranda and she clearly heard Nick telling everybody to stay back.

"What the-" Judy elbowed her way to the front of the Gazebo.

"Bill!" she heard Jackie call out. She practically screamed it, and it drew the attention of everyone.

Judy heard Nick call her name as she was making her way quickly down the stairs. She spied Nick, dimly lit, at the far end of the porch, and she raised a paw to him as she hurried on.

"What the devil is going on?" Judy heard her mother say behind her.

She spun and said the same thing Nick had. "Everybody stay here! Let me and Nick handle this!"

Bonnie, now seeing what was happening, started down the stairs. Stu followed close behind.

"Both of you, stay!" Judy said, still walking backward.

"Like heck!" Stu said

"We most certainly will not!" Bonnie said.

Judy groaned and turned back around. She knew there was no point in arguing with them, but at least everybody else seemed to be staying put, for now, all crowding up to the railing to see what was going on or staying where they were on the lawn. She didn't know how long that would last, though.

Judy tried to figure out what was happening. Someone was out of the driver's side of the car, walking through the headlights. Given Jackie's enraged shout, it had to be Bill. _What the heck is going on?_

* * *

Nick stepped up beside Jackie and the kits.

Jackie was visibly shaking with maternal rage. "Nick, " she said through clenched teeth, "You keep him away from me and my kits, or I swear I will wring his neck!"

Nick was sure she meant it. You just don't mess with a mother's children. That the drunken rabbit stumbling out of the car was the kits' father made it all the worse.

"You know," Nick said to no one in particular as he advanced, "I'm really starting to think you rabbits out here have a drinking problem."

Nick walked ahead and pointed at the weaving Bill. "Sir," he said in the voice they taught you to use. Not that he needed much training in it; he'd been on the receiving side of a few times himself. "You need to stop right there." Much to his surprise, Bill did. It was hard to get a decent look at him with the headlights keeping him mostly in silhouette, but he could feel the eyes on him.

"So you must be him, huh?" Bill slurred. He looked to Jackie, "You fuckin' him too, you whore?"

"Sir..." Nick warned, taking another step forward.

"Fuck you, fox!" Bill shouted back at him then turned his head to Jackie as he tossed a sheaf of papers to the ground, "Here's your fucking papers!"

Judy rarely got really angry, but after what she just heard 'boiling' was bathwater. She spun and pointed at her parents who was following close behind.

"Mom, go get Jackie and the kits out of here. Dad, just stay back," she commanded and spun back around when her mother, against all expectations, did as she was told and split off in that direction. Her dad looked unsure but continued to follow at a slower pace. "Bill!" she yelled then as she stormed up, taking up position outside the cone of the headlights so as not to be blinded by them.

Bill spun in Judy's direction and opened his arms wide. "And here's the queen pred fucker herself! Too good for your own species, huh? You know, I thought you were just queer or somethin', but now everything makes sense."

 _He is so dead_ , Nick thought. He spared a quick glance back to see Bonnie and Jackie herding the still crying kits away. Rabbits starting to spill out onto the lawn, a low, angry murmur having started.

"You were just too good for your own kind, is that it?" Bill said. "How many preds d'you have to fuck to even get into that stupid police school, huh?"

Nick wheeled back around. He felt his hackles raise as his muzzled pulled into a snarl subconsciously. Bill's words triggered something in him, and he took a dangerous step forward. His curled his fingers, claws becoming prominent, and he growled at the silhouetted rabbit.

"What did you say to her?" Nick hissed. The change in Bill was immediate; he could see the feral slits of Nick's eyes narrowing at him, and he audibly swallowed. Nick's fangs bore a dull gleam in the light from the headlights. "Say that again." His voice was hoarse as he approached Bill.

Judy's rage subsided momentarily as she watched her partner. Nick was illuminated by the headlights and it was easy to see his claws as he took another step toward the drunken rabbit. She could nearly feel the growl emanating from Nick's throat in her bones. It reminded her of the moment in the History Museum, but she wasn't confident Nick was acting this time. She increased her pace as her anger surged again and she refocused on Bill.

The party had fallen totally quiet. The only sounds were the car's engine quiet idling, the muffled wails of crying kits from inside, and the low rumble of Nick's warning to Bill. Murmurs spread throughout the crowd.

"N-Now Nick," Stu called out, "Let's not be too hasty…"

"You get drunk and drive your kits over here, and then start throwing insults at Judy? _My Judy?_ No wonder she dumped you like a rock," Nick said, glowering at Bill. "Go on, say something else. See how far you get."

Nick felt in control of his actions, but a primeval part of his brain shook in its cage to be let loose. In all his former relationships, he'd never felt that protective over anyone. The secondhand rage of hearing him insult Judy, though, compelled him to do things he was sure he'd enjoy at the time, but most certainly regret later.

 _Is that regret worth it?_ He thought as he took another step forward. Bill was actively backpedaling now, mumbling something incoherent. _Eh, let's see if it is._

Right as Nick was considering dropping to all fours and seeing how fast drunk rabbits could run, he heard Judy say from the side and behind him as she stormed over from the gazebo.

"Nick…"

Even as furious as he was, the malice and anger in her voice was crystal clear. Her footfalls were quick and anxious. He turned his head and saw flames burning in her eyes as she made a beeline for Bill.

Nothing more needed to be said. He ground his teeth but nodded, relaxed his paws, and stepped stopped his advance. He spared a look back and saw a few dozen bunnies who had just watched him growling at another rabbit. _On second thought, maybe that regret might not have been worth it._

Upon seeing Judy as she crossed into the headlights marching toward him and Nick no longer baring his fangs, Bill found his drunken contempt once more. "Boy, she's got you whipped pretty bad, huh, fox?" he said, "Little slut has you all wrapped up."

Nick figured he was so caught up in gloating he wasn't paying Judy the attention she warranted. Her fists clenched, and if Bill had been paying her any attention, he would have seen a very unbunnylike snarl on her face.

"That's your first mistake," Nick said to him and watched Bill turn his head and shift his focus back to Judy just in time for the punch that connected with his nose. He stumbled back onto his rear, sprawled out on the grass.

Bill cried out and clutched at his muzzle. "You broth muh futhin nos!" he sputtered after a shocked second, looking at the copious amounts of blood on his paws.

"Fuck yeah, Jude!" someone cheered from the behind them with a rumble of approval and several squawks of laughter.

Nick's ears cocked, listening to the crowd back there. His head was clear, especially with Bill bleeding on the grass. Seeing Judy's face when he was so angry had an immediate effect on him, and he promised himself he'd delve into how seriously and quickly she calmed him later. The current situation demanded his full attention as a cop. Mobs were dangerous, and he didn't need training to know that. He didn't think it would turn that bad, but Bill didn't understand or was too drunk to care about a couple of hundred of Judy's family being right there. He could almost watch the gears turning in the drunk fool's head. First, the shock as he pulled back his paws to see them covered in blood, then the rage.

"Stay down kid," Nick warned. He wasn't surprised when, with the strength of the intoxicated, Bill shoved himself up.

"Should have stayed down," Nick called and crossed his arms.

Judy moved back into a martial stance seeing the same thing Nick did. When the inevitable drunken charge came, with the equally drunken swing, she side-stepped and deftly grabbed Bill's arm. Using his own momentum against him, she flipped Bill over like she'd done dozens of times in the academy.

Bill landed with an audible thump and wuff of breath.

"Dumb ass!" someone called to hoots of laughter.

"That was your second mistake," Nick called as Bill wheezed on the ground. The impact of his back against the ground knocked the breath out of him.

Judy stepped closer and peered down at the dazed and bloody-faced rabbit. "You done?"

Bill blinked up at Judy, trying to shy back. He coughed, and nodded, holding his arms in a lame attempt to fend Judy off. "Done.. m'done!" he croaked.

"Good," Judy said, still quivering with rage, "I don't know what the heck this is about. Frankly, after that juvenile display, I don't give a flip. You get up, you get in your car, and you drive away. You're lucky I don't arrest you right now for DUI, child endangerment, and whatever else I can nail you for! And don't think we don't have the authority to do it because we're not in the City. I promise you we do. If you're really lucky, I won't call the sheriff to report an erratic driver out on Highway 10! Now get the hell out of here!"

Bill nodded quickly and scooted backward. For the first time seemed to notice the crowd of Hopps that had come a considerable distance closer to the altercation. He shoved himself up, dabbing at his nose and looking at the fresh blood on his paws. It still dripped onto the grass like a leaky faucet.

Nick's eyebrows shot up. 'Hell' wasn't much as far as swear words went, but this was the second time he heard her use it today. He was starting to wonder if he really was a bad influence.

"I... I'm thorry, " Bill started saying, "I didmth... I-"

Judy cut him off with a finger pointing at the still running car. "Go!" she shouted. She wasn't sure she should let him leave in the condition he was in, but she couldn't muster the energy to care about him.

Bill shied back as if Judy were going to hit him again. He blinked and looked around. Reality started to sink in just how deep a hole he had dug for himself. He backpedaled, turned around and hurried to the car.

Nick tensed, half expecting the car to spin its tires in the gravel, but it just curved in a lazy circle and made it's way back down the driveway, swerving several times as it did.

There was a long silence, then, nearly as one, everybody behind erupted in applause and hoots of approval. Nick could hear them rushing forward and turned quickly. Someone had the presence of mind to turn on some exterior lights now that the car's headlights were not blinding everyone. Nick held up his arms and waved them without saying anything. The crowd slowed and went mostly quiet.

"Everybody, just give her a minute," he said with a raised voice. They seemed to get it and stopped, some turning around and going back to the porch as they talked animatedly with each other. He couldn't see Jackie or Bonnie around, but Stu stood a few paces away. He exchanged a look with the wide-eyed rabbit and jerked his head at Judy.

Nick stepped up behind Judy who was watching the car retreat down the drive. He placed a light paw on her back, feeling her shaking. "You okay, Carrots?" he asked quietly.

"Would someone please tell me what the heck just happened?" Judy said as she put a paw to her forehead. Her shoulders fell as the shake in her limbs turned from one of anger to the aftershock of an adrenaline surge.

"Ah," Nick said and turned to look as Stu moved up beside him, "About that..." He quickly explained what he knew from what Jackie had told him, figuring the whole 'don't tell Judy' thing was moot at this point.

"Bill hasn't been taking it well," Stu offered after Nick finished.

"No kidding," Judy said in disgust. She shook and flexed her tingling paw. She wasn't sure the explanation made her feel any better. Although it was through no fault of her own, she'd been the cause.

"I gotta say, Jude," Stu said, "I know they teach you that stuff at the Academy, but watchin' you just now, woo!" Stu slapped a paw down on a thigh. "That was somethin' else!"

Judy gave a shaky little laugh. "Thanks, dad. I think."

"And Nick? Wow. Not that I doubted you or anything after that speech to Bon when you first got in, but I'm feeling good knowing you're with Judy out on the streets," Stu continued. "I'm pretty sure you scared ol' Bill half to death with that act!"

"Hah, yeah, act. That's definitely what that was," Nick said. He subconsciously rubbed the back of his neck, looking for a way out of the current conversation.

Nick gave Judy's shoulder a light squeeze. "How about we go back up to the porch and sit down for a bit, hmm?"

Judy nodded and let Nick turn her but pushed off him. She refused to give into the urge to let him shelter her although she really wanted to. _I'm good_ , she told herself and started walking back to the gazebo.

Nick fell into step and Stu went over to pick up the papers Bill had thrown on the ground before hurrying after them.

The crowd of Hopps that had slowly drawn closer parted to let the three of them through. Someone started clapping, and that's all it took as the entire crowd erupted in applause, hoots, and general calls of approval. Most followed as they made their way back to the gazebo, although some stayed out on the lawn chatting animatedly.

Judy winced at the approval she was getting. She didn't like this reaction and was already second guessing what she had done. She realized it was actually normal, though. They warned her about this in the academy. After any major confrontation where a weapon was discharged or someone was hurt because of an officer's actions, doubt was expected to settle in. She suspected the wine from dinner had something to do with it, too. Guilt doubled down on her when she realized he was bleeding from the nose and driving intoxicated. _What if he wrecks on the way home? What if he crashes into someone else and hurts or kills them?_

She stopped halfway up the stairs into the gazebo and spun around. She peered into the distance to see if she could still see the retreating taillights, but they were already gone. A paw flew to her pocket, and she fumbled for her phone. "I shouldn't have let him go!" she said, voice teetering on panic.

"What?" Nick said, stopping with one foot on the steps. He followed Judy's gaze then looked back. "Why?"

Judy punched at her phone to unlock it, messing up the unlock code in her haste, "Dang it!" she hissed then tried again, "What if he runs off the road or into someone else! It'll be my fault!"

Nick put a restraining paw on Judy's arm. "Whoa, settled down there, Fluff," he said, "I can't believe I'm the one telling you this, but remember your training." He had to admit, though, she did have a point.

"But-" Judy said, and Nick held up a finger, turning to Stu.

"Stu," he said, "Judy's right. Can you call the local sheriffs and tell them what happened?"

Stu looked unsure. "I guess," he said, reaching up to scratch under his hat, "I don't know... if Bill gets a DUI, that's not going to make things better."

Nick raised an eyebrow. "And if he crosses the centerline and kills himself and a family of four in a head-on crash?"

Stu's eyes went wide, a paw diving for his pocket a second later. "Right, right," he said and moved off back into the lawn as he started poking at his phone, but was lost in the gloom as the outside lights suddenly went out.

Nick turned back to Judy who was still looking stunned and guided her back to the same bench swing they had sat in before dinner. The crowd that followed them had left an empty space around this area of the gazebo in some unspoken agreement to give them some room.

Nick kept a small distance between himself and Judy as they sat and leaned back, keeping a wary eye on her as she settled.

Judy nibbled at a dull claw. "I didn't handle that well," she said finally.

Nick was going over one of his classes from the Academy about how to deal with the aftermath of an incident. Granted, nobody here had been shot or had died, but the impact was similar, if not quite so serious.

"And I shouldn't have gotten so angry when he insulted you. I escalated things, too, Carrots," Nick said, "But to be honest, the jerk was asking for it."

"I didn't say he didn't deserve it," Judy said, "I just should have stopped him from driving off."

"Look, we're off duty, way outside our jurisdiction-"

"But we-" Judy started, but Nick cut her off before she could continue.

"Yeah, I know we have the reciprocity agreements," Nick said, waving a paw, "But you can only invoke that with good reason. Not to mention you've had a couple of glasses of wine, so your judgment was impaired. You can just say you were afraid for his life."

"What?" Judy said and looked up.

Nick nodded at the mass of rabbits milling about. "Did you fail to see the mob of your angry family members creeping up?"

Judy followed Nick's gaze. "Oh," she said, "I hadn't thought of that." She wasn't sure what her family would have done if she hadn't been there, but a serious beating by her less restrained sibblings was not out of the realm of possibility.

"Well," Nick said, putting his arms on the back of the bench, "There you go."

"Nick!" Judy suddenly snapped, "Don't try and help me justify this! I screwed up, okay?" She growled in frustration. "I even had an opportunity to calm you down, but just walked past you and let my anger get ahead of me! I mean, I'm not sorry for hitting him, but I shouldn't have let him go."

Nick remained calm. _You didn't spend years dealing with shady characters without being able to maintain your cool._ "Nobody is going to fault you here," he said carefully, "Look, like I said, remember your training. You're doing exactly what they say you do in situations like this; you're second-guessing everything. Just calm down. I would say have another drink, but I'm starting to think a bit too much drinking goes on in Bunnyburrow."

Judy snorted and let out a long sigh. She ran a paw over her head and pulled on one ear lightly. "But if he gets into an accident-"

"Can't do anything about that now," Nick interrupted and nodded out into the yard where Stu was just putting away his phone, "Your dad talked to the sheriff, there's nothing else to do."

Judy sighed again and looked down at the space Nick had left between them and frowned at it. She scooted herself closer and wiggled back into the seat, cuddling up against his side. "I guess. Boy, he was asking for it, though, wasn't he?" she said.

"Understatement," Nick said with a chuckle as he let his arm drop down over Judy's toned shoulders. "When I heard the things he said about you, I thought I was going to lose it."

"That… wasn't an act, was it?"

Nick swallowed. "Er, not exactly, no. I mean, I wasn't about to tear the guy limb from limb, but I doubt I'd have left him in as good of shape as you did," he said.

Judy looked at him intently. "Why did you get so upset? Was it really just that he insulted me?"

"Fluff, I'll be honest," Nick began. "I've had relationships before, but 'protective' was never really an accurate description for me. I've always been the tactical retreat type, myself. But hearing that guy say, ugh, I just…"

Judy placed a paw on top of his. "Nick, it's sweet that you felt like you needed to protect me," she said. She leaned up and gave him a peck on the cheek. He looked down into her eyes, and she smiled. "But please don't go attacking mammals just because they said mean things to me, okay? I like having you as a partner, and I'd like to keep it that way."

That earned a chuckle out of Nick, who saluted. "I'll try to contain myself next time," he said.

Stu had made his way back up and settled himself into a nearby seat. He pulled his hat off, running a paw back over his head before snugging the cap back down. He looked down at the papers he had set in his lap. He grimaced and rolled the sheets up into a tight tube. "Well, that was a heck of a thing," he said, then looked to Judy and Nick, "I talked to Sheriff Tavsan. They're sending a couple of cars out to look for him, but Bill might make it home by the time they get out there, though." Stu seemed to notice Judy's distress for the first time. "You okay, Jude?"

"I don't think I handled that well," Judy said uncertainly.

Nick gave Judy a little squeeze. "It's fine. Like you said, he had it coming."

"Amen!" said Stu, "He's turned into a real jerk since the separation."

Judy sat up a bit straighter. "Speaking of which," she said, "Why didn't you guys tell me this was going on?"

Stu leaned back, setting into the chair. "Jackie asked us not to," he said simply and shrugged.

Judy grunted in exasperation.

"It's not like you could have done anything, Jude," Stu said.

Judy shifted. "I could have, I don't know... talked to him or something? Head this all off before it got this far!"

Stu winced and shook his head. "By the time things got figured out, the damage had been done."

Nick, from his slightly higher vantage point, saw the crowd parting around someone coming down the porch, and could only think of the only other rabbit that could command that kind of respect. "Here comes your mom."

Like an empress walking through her subjects, the crowd of family parted to let Bonnie through. She took in the tableau and went to settle into the seat next to Stu, perching on the edge of the chair. "Well, that certainly was more exciting than usual," she said.

"How are the kits and Jackie?" Judy asked.

Bonnie sighed and shrugged. "They're settling down. I put them up in one of our spare rooms. Jackie is understandably upset." Bonnie's brow furrowed in anger. "What was that fool thinking? With the kits in the car!"

Nick wasn't sure, but Bonnie seemed to be holding back barely contained fury; her eyes intent and her nose twitching a lot more than normal. _Bill, you're in a lot of trouble_ , he thought.

Bonnie then looked at Nick and Judy. "What happened? We couldn't see anything with everybody in the way. Everyone went quiet and we heard Judy yelling at him."

"Well," Stu said slowly but with growing animation, "Nick scared the heck out of him, then Jude there socked Bill a good one in the nose and knocked him right down on his tail, bam!" Stu's grin broadened. "Then the dummy got up and tried to rush her, and she flipped him over!" he said and smacked his paws together,"Woo! It was something else, Bon!"

"I'm sure someone caught it on their phone," Nick said. He had seen plenty of them out in the crowd after the face.

Judy groaned and pressed her face against Nick's side. "Oh gods, I didn't even think of that," she said, voice muffled, "Someone's probably already uploaded it to ZooTube!"

Nick winced; he hadn't thought about that. "Should... should we ask folks not to?"

Judy un-hid her face and leaned back with a huff. "It's too late by now," she said sullenly.

Bonnie's eyebrows went up. "Well," she said after a brief pause, "Bill's done in this town, I can tell you that. Nobody will give him the time of day once this gets out. Driving like a drunk maniac with a car full of my grandkits!"

"As long as he gets home okay and doesn't cause an accident," Judy said then saw the sudden look of worry on her mother's face. She doubted that occurred to her yet. "Dad called the sheriff. They're going to look for him."

Bonnie looked somewhat reassured and sighed. She leaned back into her chair finally, making an attempt to relax. "Well," she said and looked down, brushing at her lap, "That's good, I suppose."

The crowd of family, which were still keeping a respectful distance, seemed to quiet. Nick raised his head, peering over the forest of erect rabbit ears. Coming down the drive was another set of headlights.

"What?" Judy asked, following Nick's gaze and trying to sit up high enough to see, "Please tell me he's not coming back."

"He darn well better not be!" Stu said as he and Bonnie both got up and started to move to the stairway.

Nick and Judy looked at each other and followed suit.

"Oh," Bonnie said, sounding relieved as Nick and Judy drew even with them, "It's just Gideon. I forgot to mention, we invited him over earlier when he stopped by the stand."

"You did?" Judy asked.

"Sure we did!" Stu said, "Figured with you two here it would be, you know, a good idea, what with Nick being a fox and all."

Judy rolled her eyes. "Well, okay, I guess," she turned to Nick, "Behave yourself."

It was Nick's turn to roll his eyes, but he didn't say anything.

Stu and Bonnie watched the exchange quizzically.

"Uh," Stu said, "Should we not have?"

Before Judy could say anything, Nick responded. "It's fine, Mister and Missus Hopps. Judy is under the impression that I'm going to savage this Mister Gray," he said and looked down at Judy and continued with deliberate emphasis and slightly increased volume, "Because of a fight with him when she was nine!"

"Oh, that," Bonnie said and waved a dismissive paw.

"That was ages ago, Jude," Stu added.

Judy looked at Nick and thumbed to her parents. "This coming from the two who used that fight to warn me about foxes before I moved to the city."

"Judy!" Bonnie said, ears flushing in embarrassment.

Stu cleared his throat and found something fascinating to look at on the steps.

Nick chuckled and hooked his thumbs into the pockets of his jeans. "It's fine. I'm curious to meet him. I hear he makes a mean blueberry pie."

"Oh!" Bonnie said suddenly, "Didn't I say? That was one of his we had for dessert!"

Nick's eyebrows went up. "Was it now?" he said thoughtfully, the slight glimmer of an idea sprouting in the more devious parts of his mind.

"We were a bit distracted, mom," Judy said, trying to hide a smile.

Bonnie coughed and looked down at her paws. "Well, yes," she said and looked up, "About that, just... just you two be careful, is all."

Stu mirrored his wife's cough, and Nick cringed inwardly.

Judy, nonplussed, gave Nick a look up and down and hummed. "Oh, don't worry mom," she said, "We have been."

One of Judy's many sisters, having been keeping an ear cocked in their direction, let out a laugh. A low whispering broke out of explanations regarding Bonnie's admission from dinner. Several does gasped behind them.

"Mom! You didn't!" the rabbit said only to be grabbed by another sister down into a giggling huddle.

"Oh, dear," Bonnie said and sighed, "Well, I'll never hear the end of this."

Stu, in an apparent attempt to shift the conversation quickly said, "Gid asked if he could bring someone. Didn't say who, though."

"Ugh," Judy said, "I hope it's not Travis." While she thought Gideon turned out okay, the years had ironically made Travis more insufferable.

"Oh, no," Bonnie said, "They had a big falling out last year. Gideon fired him."

"He did?" Judy asked in surprise, "I didn't even know Travis was working for him. Those two have been besties for as long as I can remember."

Stu shrugged as Gideon's truck pulled up and stopped in the driveway. "That was the problem," he said, "Travis was taking advantage of him. I hear he stole some things, too, and Gid had had enough of it and sent him packing."

"Huh," Judy said and shook her head, "That's a shame... I guess?"

Stu shrugged again and peered as both the truck's doors opened. Two figures got out but didn't head toward the burrow immediately. Judy thought they looked like they were hesitating. The dimly colored light made it hard to see much detail. Stu leaned out from the Gazebo and waved a paw, "Gid! Over here!"

One of the figures, obviously Gideon, raised an arm up and waited for the other to come around the truck before both started walking towards them.

"You know," Nick began. The glimmer of an idea in his eyes grew into a glowing ember, "If those are the kind of pies he makes, I should put him in touch with Honey."

Judy blinked. "That's... that's actually not a bad idea. You think she would go for it?"

Nick shrugged. "Maybe," he said, "When I was, um, working there I know… knew all her pies and desserts just came from the food service with the rest of the stuff. I think she could make a killing with these pies if they're all like that."

"Mmm," Judy hummed as she turned her attention back to the approaching figures. There was something odd about Gideon's guest. Based on their height, they certainly weren't a fox. She saw a light colored t-shirt and shorts but the mammal's fur was so dark that it looks like a casually dressed ghost walking up to them. Eventually Gideon and his companion got close enough that the weak light started to finally show more detail. Judy's eyes went wide.

"Sharla?" she called.

"Judy!" squealed the figure that came darting forward, resolving into the slim figure of a black-wooled sheep.

Judy bypassed the remaining steps and ran to her friend. Nick followed shortly behind her.

"Sharla?" Stu said, perplexed. The comment repeated itself up the porch as others who recognized the name perked up and turned their attention outward.

Bonnie clucked her tongue. "You remember, Judy's little friend from school? Her family moved away years ago."

"Oh!" Stu said, "That Sharla!"

Judy crashed into Sharla with a laugh and hugged her old friend tight. The sheep returned the embrace back just as hard. She pulled back and looked at her friend. Judy hadn't seen her in the better part of ten years, but she noticed something immediately.

"Wow, you got tall!" she said.

Sharla laughed. "And you're the same size you were!"

Judy grinned. "Well, you know us rabbits, not the tallest of mammals," she said. She then turned her attention to Gideon standing behind Sharla. He wore a sheepish grin that didn't altogether fit his foxy muzzle. Judy looked back to Sharla."What are you doing here?"

"Oh, I moved back to town about, what," she looked at Gideon, "Five, six months ago?"

Gideon nodded. "E'yup, about that," Gideon said then smiled shyly at Judy, "H-hey there Judy!"

Nick had come up behind them, standing a few paces behind and observing. He looked the other fox over and had to admit, he wasn't quite what he was expecting. In his mind's eye, he had pictured this supposedly reformed villain from Judy's past being a skinny and sleek, more country version of himself, not this pudgy, butt-cut country boy in overalls. He gave a polite incline of the head when their eyes met but kept silent for now, waiting for Judy to introduce them.

Judy blinked and looked at Gideon again, then back at Sharla. "Wait... are you...?" she said, trailing off.

Sharla let out a nervous little giggle and held up her right hand; a golden ring glittered around one of her fingers.

Judy's eyes went wide, and she put a paw to her muzzle. "No way! You two?"

Sharla ducked her head, a big grin on her face. "We just made it official a few days ago!"

Judy looked at Gideon with a shocked expression.

Gideon just looked back at her with a slightly embarrassed look, like a kit who was caught with a paw in the cookie jar. "We, uh, w-we've been keepin' i-it kinda under wraps an' all... then the news 'bout y'all came out," he said and waved a paw in Nick's direction, "And we figured it was 'bout time t'stop hidin'."

Judy was again, for the who knows how many times today, stunned into near silence. "I... well, um..."

Nick cleared his throat.

"Oh! Right!" Judy said, latching onto that lifeline Nick had thrown her. She stepped back and held out a paw to Nick. "Uh, guys, meet Nick Wilde, " she said then gestured to each, "Nick, this is Sharla, an old friend of mine, and this is Gideon Grey."

Nick stepped forward and extended a paw to Gideon, the other fox clasping back in a firm shake.

"Hey there, Nick!" Gideon said as he pumped Nick's paw enthusiastically then continued in a bit more somber tone, "I just, I just gotta say, it's a real honor to meet you. You know, you bein' the first fox police officer in Zootopia and all. You're doin' us foxes proud. Real proud!"

"Thanks, Gideon," Nick said with a grin and unable to help thinking about Honey, "That means a lot. I've got to say, I've heard a lot about you too!"

Gideon's ears splayed out and he looked suddenly unsure. "Uh, um," he stammered and shot a guilty look at Judy, "Now I-I dunno what-"

Nick chuckled and winked, letting the paw go. "It's okay, Judy explained everything to me."

"Ah," Gideon said, still looking uncertain "That's good, I reckon."

Judy grinned. "Relax, Gideon," she said as Nick was turning his attention to Sharla.

Nick took a step, offering his paw to Sharla and gave it a light shake she took it. "A pleasure to meet you," he said.

Sharla gave an awkward and somewhat flustered smile. "Uh, likewise Mister Wilde. Like Gid says, we've heard a lot 'bout you."

Nick grinned and let the rough, hoof fingered hand go. "I bet you have," he said and gave the dark little sheep a slow wink.

Judy raised an eyebrow at Nick and put her paws on her hips.

Sharla put her hoof to her chest, patting herself, and shot a glance at Judy. "Girl, we gotta a lot of catching up to do!" she said then reached out to grab Judy's arm and dragged her away from the group, but not before waving her other hand at Stu and Bonnie. "Hi, Mister and Missus Hopps!" Sharla called as she tugged Judy along, "Long time no see!"

Bonnie and Stu gave hesitant little waves as the sheep pulled Judy along, then turned to look at Nick and Gideon.

Both Nick and Gideon watched as the two ladies, heads ducking to whisper at each other, drew away.

"Hmm," Nick hummed and turned back to Gideon. He grinned as sudden inspiration took him. He stepped forward and put a comradely arm around Gideon's shoulders. "Gid, buddy ol' pal," he said as he started to lead the surprised fox to the gazebo, "Have you ever thought about selling your pies in Zootopia?"

* * *

 **Authors Note:**

I know I said there would be two chapters before things moved into a more serious realms, but that does not seem to be the case! Going to be at least one more before they get back to ZT and things take some interesting turns.

And boy did Mord and I argue about this chapter... almost all around the confrontation with Bill. I had Nick much more toned down, but Mord wanted more melodrama. This is a complete 180 from the norm as I tend to be the one who likes the melodrama and here Mord was wanting to add more in where I didn't want it, lol. We compromised though and I think it keeps my original vision but with Nick showing his protective side. There was also a lot of argument about how Judy was approaching the the confrontation. Being the writer I have a solid idea of where things and people are, where as the reader does not..and most likely doesn't care that much. Mord had this idea that the veranda was like 25 feet long where as it's really more like 100, so he had Judy coming up behind Nick when she would have had to been coming up from an angle from the gazebo. We literally argued about this for like 2 days before I had to put my foot down and made some needed changes as I refused to budge on it. I added some additional detail to flesh how just how big the porch/veranda is and that it spans the entire front of the burrow.

Regarding the early chapter edits - 1-5 have been revamped and we'll be working on the rest here as time allows but I'll be focusing on the next chapter as well. Speaking of - It figures that I am no where near the first to put Sharla and Gideon together... suffice ti say I didn't know there was any other fics out there (Or Weavers "I kinda liked it.." comic until after I had written this. But again, I should have realized a year later that I was no the first to hook those two together, lol. I think they make a cute couple.


	20. Chapter 20 - Catching up

**Authors note:**

Sorry about the absence folks! A lot going on personally, but back in the groove. This is just the first of three chapters already written. Two more behind this for a total of about 30k+ words. Finally we get to the end of the Hopps visit. Will be a little bit of leaving BunnyBurrow in chapter 23, but back to the city after. The other two chapters are in edit and I plan to publish them a week apart. As usual, if any of you spot any typos that have snuck by us please let me know!

So onward to our Fox and Rabbit slice of life :)

Cheers!

SM

* * *

Sharla pulled Judy along and away from the crowd. Judy struggled to keep pace, lest she get pulled off her feet until they rounded the side of the burrow when her paw was finally freed. _Sharla sure has gotten leggy_! she thought.

"Where are you going?" Judy asked.

"Where you think, girl?" Sharla said with a sidelong grin as she let Judy's paws go and started up the side of the burrow. It was relatively steep, but it was easy enough to climb by grabbing pawfuls of the turf that covered it and digging your toes in.

"Oh!" Judy said and laughed, "Gods, I've not been up here in years!"

Sharla, still grinning, clambered upwards ahead of Judy. "Well, that makes two of us then!" she said.

When they were halfway up, the incline started to ease, and they were able to stand and walk the rest of the way.

Sharla guided them to the spot she and Judy had often sat in their youth. The two stood opposite each other around the rim of the big circular window that crowned the top of the burrow. The dark-wooled sheep got down onto her knees, and Judy joined her, peering down into the burrow.

It was dimmer inside now. The lights had been turned down and a sizable group of bunnies were watching a show on the enormous TV. A strong draft of warm air blew up from the open window facets smelling of all the scents of the burrow.

Sharla turned around,sat down, and looked out over the darkened countryside. "I missed this place," she said. She looked at Judy. "Now, t'make it right, yer dad has t'come out at and yell at us."

Judy grinned wide and shook a fist in the air. "You kids get down from there before you fall and break your necks!" she said in a passable imitation of her father.

Sharla giggled and leaned to the side to bump Judy with her arm. "Oh, it's good to see you again, Jude," she said.

Judy bumped her old friend back. "Same here, " she said then added with a bit of chagrin, "Sorry for not keeping in touch."

Shara waved at her. "Pssh, that's a two-way street," she said then leaned back and propped herself up on her elbows, "And it's the way of things, ain't it? Everybody says they'll keep in touch, but ya move away, get a new life, get new friends... it just happens." She seemed to hesitate for a bit then continued. "Actually meant to get in touch after you were in the news, ya know, all that drama in the City and stuff, but... well, bein' a sheep an' all-"

Judy interrupted by clicking her tongue. "You don't honestly think I would've shunned you because of Bellwether and her gang, do you?"

Sharla shrugged and shook her head. "Nah, not you anyway," she said, "Some maybe, but not you." Her ears splayed out to the sides. "It was all jus' really embarassin' for the sheep community." She rubbed at the side of her muzzle and shrugged again, "Anyway, jus' didn't seem like a good time. I couldn't find ya on Muzzlebook, and I'm kinda lazy. Ya know, one of those 'I'll get in a touch when things quiet down.' kind of things... and ya never end up doin' it." She grinned and rolled her eyes then. "Ya know, your daddy has been into the shop a few times an' seen me but didn't know it was me!"

"I'm shocked. Shocked I say," Judy said flatly, "Did you tell him it was you?"

Sharla grinned and shook her head. "I wanted t'see how long it would take him," she said, "He's always in such a rush! Plus I think my height threw him off. Las' time he saw me I was hardly bigger'n you!"

Judy nodded emphatically. "Heck, that would have thrown me too! Talk about a growth spurt," she said giving her friend a critical eye, "All the ewes I've met have have hardly been as tall as I am."

"I know," Sharla said and shrugged, "Doc's said it just happens sometimes, but dunno why jus' like how some pupils are round'n stuff."

Judy had always found that odd. Both Sharla's parents had pupils that were rectangular while Sharla and her brother, and Dawn Bellwether for that matter now that she thought about it, had round pupils. "Sheep are just weird," she said teasingly.

Sharla snorted and stuck her tongue out.

Judy chuckled. "Anyways.. yeah, I'm not on Muzzlebook," she said and took a big breath and let it out slowly, "Though I suppose I should be now that I think about it, if just to keep in touch with folks. Gods know I had enough family and friends bug me about it." She made a mental note to look into how private a Muzzlebook account could be made.

She looked out at the darkened land. Her eyes drifted up to look at a mostly full moon in the sky with its enormous impact crater staring down at them like some baleful eye. "But, I'm just as bad. There are plenty of friends and family I've hardly spoken to since getting into the academy." She turned her head to look at Sharla with a quirked eyebrow. "But you're back now, huh?" she said, "And with Gideon, really?"

Sharla gave a shy grin. "I know, right? Crazy," she said, "But you got yourself a foxy boy, too! What a pair we make. Here we grow up dealin' with a bully of a fox, you go off to the city and end up datin' a fox, and here I am engaged to the bully!"

Judy snorted, unable to keep the grin off her face. "I'm sure a psychiatrist would make something interesting out of it all," she said, "But Gideon? Really? I know he's not a jerk anymore, but... but he's so dumpy and... and pudgy!"

Sharla rolled eyes. "Oh please," she said with a snort, "I know you like skinny, slinky boys, but some of us like our males with a little meat on their bones, thank you very much." She grinned then. "And let me tell you, that boy can cook! Not just pies n'pastries either! I keep tellin' him he needs to open a cafe or somethin' in town. Make a killin'."

Judy hummed. "We had one of his pies for dessert," she said, "I have to admit they are pretty good, but forget all that. How, is what I want to know! My folks didn't even know, and they're the biggest gossips in town!"

Sharla laughed. "Yeah, we kept it real secret. I mean, this is the first time we've even made it known outside the two of us! Well, I mean 'cept for a few folks."

Judys's ears perked. "Really?"

Sharla nodded. "Uh huh. I mean, I'm sure some suspected. Kinda hard to be stayin' at a guys place and not have someone notice, but we did our best t'be all sneaky about it." She ran a hand through the lush grass next to her. "Then he, uh, popped the question yesterday, but we kept it all real quiet an' all."

Judy rolled her paw. "So...?" she said, "How'd it happen?"

Sharla looked thoughtful for a moment. "Well, you remember my aunt and uncle?"

Judy nodded.

"Well, they're both retired now, and my uncle did what he always said he was gonna do and bought an R.V. about a year ago-"

"That's right!" Judy said then laughed, "He was always talking about doing that!"

Sharla grinned. "Uh huh! Well, he finally went and did it!" she said, "They started askin' me to house sit for em while they went out west travelin'... ya know, waterin' all the plants, mowin' the lawn n'such. I wasn't really workin' at the time, so I said sure! Thought it would be neat t'come back for a visit." She wiggled her toes and grinned. "So, I'm in town and driving down main street gettin' all nostalgic when I see this little shop... 'Gideon Grey's Real Good Baked Stuff,' and I think, 'There is no way it's the same Gideon Grey.' Well, I just had t'look. Sure enough, I go in and there he is." She grinned wide and shook her head with a laugh. "He sees me and just about falls over hisself trying to apologize to me for bein' such a jerk."

Judy joined in and laughed too. "He did the same thing with me!"

"I know! He told me 'bout that," Sharla nodded, "Said you went running off back to the city yammering somethin' 'bout those night howlers."

Judy nodded. "Yeah," she said, "I actually owe him a lot. If it hadn't been for him, I wouldn't have put it all together."

Sharla raised an eyebrow inquisitively, but Judy waved at her and shook her head, "I'll tell you, uh, later. So, he was falling over himself..."

Sharla grinned again. "Right, yeah. Well, I thought it was kinda cute n'all. We talked for a lil' bit, and I bought a pie." She puffed her cheeks out, "I ate that damn thing in less than a day!"

Judy giggled.

Sharla snorted. "You think it's funny, you have no idea how hard I have t'restrain myself workin' there. I'd be big as this burrow otherwise."

Judy's eyebrows went up. "You're working at his shop?"

Sharla nodded. "Uh huh, but I'm gettin' ahead of m'self here," she said and continued her story, "So, I ate that pie... figured I need t'go get another one, try another flavor maybe." She shrugged. "I dunno. It kinda went on like that for a while. I ended up house sittin' almost full time. My uncle and aunt were gone, like, three weeks out of every month sometimes. They even started payin' me!" She rubbed her nose, looking thoughtful again. "Went on for a few months like that. I'd come in an' buy a pie or somethin', we would talk for hours with me just lingerin' around, helpin' out sometimes. Then there was the blow up with Travis, " she said and paused to look at Judy again, "You hear 'bout that?"

Judy nodded. "Dad mentioned something about it, said he was stealing stuff?"

Sharla nodded. "Stealin an' bein' a general pain in the butt, but yeah," she said then continued, "Gid sent him packin'. Was mighty ugly too, Travis tried t'blame me for wrecking their friendship. Called me 'that sheep whore' an' all kinds of nasty stuff. That's when Gid had had enough and the claws came out." She patted her chest. "Ooo... I tell ya, you ever see your boy show his claws and fangs?"

Judy snorted, but was also glad it was too dark to see her ears flush. "You could say that," she said, "Just tonight in fact. You guys just missed all the drama by like five minutes."

"Huh?" Sharla said, ears coming up, "What we miss?"

Judy gave a brief rundown of what had happened with Bill and Sharla whistled.

"Dang, girl, I would have had loved to see that!" she said, "I still tell folks about how you beat the snot outta those jerks in school for harassin' me."

Judy rolled her eyes. "Not one of my prouder moments," she said.

Sharla scoffed. "Speak for yerself. I was plenty proud. They never bothered me again, neither."

Judy grinned. "There is that."

"So, where was I?" Sharla asked, "Mmm... claws and fangs. And that growl, boy oh boy. Never thought that'd do it for me, but it sure as heck did. Plus he was defending me an' all, so it was kinda sweet, too."

Judy made a little groan and looked skyward.

"What?" Sharla said, sounding a little offended, "I know y'all were always a prude but don't you be harshin' on me and mine."

Judy sighed. "No, that's not what! I... look.. uh..." Judy was doubly glad it was too dark to see any parts of her flush. She reached out and grabbed one of Sharla's hands, "Here... feel, " she said and put the rough fingers on her neck where the bite marks were. She waited while Sharla felt the small scabbed lumps there.

"Oh my, is that-"

"Where Nick bit my neck," Judy said flatly, "Yes, yes it is. It was... an accident."

Sharla pulled her hand away put it over her muzzle as she giggled. "I guess little prudy Judy ain't so prudy no more!"

"I am not a prude!" Judy protested, "I just... it's just embarrassing to talk about! It's private stuff!"

Sharla rolled her eyes. "Honey, I think that's the very definition of someone who's a prude. I dunno how you can even be prudy as you are bein' from yer family!" She grinned slyly, "Yer weird too."

"I'm not weird!," Judy protested for a moment, "Okay, I _am_ weird… for a rabbit I guess so I'll give you that, but I'm not a prude! Ask Nick."

Sharla grinned. "Oh, you can count that."

Judy put a paw to her forehead. "Why did I suggest that..."

"Oh, foo," Sharla said, "You ain't got nothin' to be embarrassed about. Heck, Gid and I get up to all kinds of nasty things. Just last night-"

"No, no, no, no!" Judy said quickly and held a paw up, "I don't want to know!"

Sharla's grin turned wicked. "Now there is the prudy Judy I remember! Tell me, can ya take that knot of his?"

Judy closed her eyes and let out a groan. "Why does everybody keep asking that? No! He's... it's too big!"

"Hmmm, " Sharla hummed, looking Judy over, "I guess. You try it in the butt?"

Judy put both paws over her eyes. "Sweet cheese and crackers..." she said.

Sharla let out a giggle and flopped back onto the grass.

Judy sighed and shook her head as her old friend continued to laugh. "I forgot how much you love to embarrass me."

Sharla continued to giggle, but finally got herself under control and sat back up. She wiped at the corners of her eyes and sniffed loudly. "Okay, I'll stop, but oh it is good t'see you again, Judy."

Judy gave a little chuckle of her own. "Same here," she said, "So, if you're done, you were saying about Gideon sending Travis packing?"

Sharla sniffed again and nodded as she settled down. "Uh huh. Problem was, he needed help with the shop. He relied a lot on Travis to help prep an' run the shop while he was out makin' deliveries and such... so I said I'd help. He really needs t'hire a couple more folks at this rate, too, but anyways, I started helpin' out full time. Not like I had much t'do at my uncle and aunt's place but sit around and surf the net or watch TV. anyways. So, he taught me how t'do what Travis did, an' started payin' me for my time, too. I ran the register n'stuff while he was out, helped prep in the kitchen. Stuff like that."

She shrugged again. "Somewhere along the way we figured out we were fallin' for each other." That big grin returned. "We jus'... clicked? I guess? We _got_ each other, ya know?" she said sounding almost wistful.

"Oh, I think I know," Judy said fondly, unable to stop herself thinking about Nick and the old saying 'opposites attract, "Anyway, so… what? He asked you..?"

Sharla nodded then snorted, " I was 'bout to ask him myself why he was draggin' feet so much, but he finally did ask me out to dinner. I swear you never saw nobody stutter and stammer so much in all your life."

Judy chuckled and shook her head. Gideon was so not what he used to be when they were kids, she thought. It was almost as if he were a different fox entirely, but still... "A little soon, isn't it?" she asked trying to make sure she sounded curious and not condemning.

Sharla shrugged. "Not like we gonna go run to the courthouse n'get hitched in the morning," she says, "We didn't set no date or nothin'. Gonna keep living t'gether for a year or two. If it's all still good we'll do it. Almost a whatsit… a formality by then anyway, right?"

Judy hummed and nodded. "That's pretty smart."

Sharla grinned. "Momma didn't raise no dummy, she just raised a lazy daughter!"

Judy laughed and shook her head. "So, that's it, huh? When did you actually move back?"

Sharla nodded. "Oh, I while back. At first I started stayin' with him when my aunt and uncle were in town. Kinda became instead of house sittin' more like house-checkin'-in-on-now-and-then." She grimaced a bit. "I tried t'keep it from my folks for as long as I could, but I kinda ran out of excuses as t'why I was staying in BunnyBurrow when my aunt n'uncle were home pretty quick."

"What did they say?" Judy asked. She knew Sharla's parents pretty well and could not imagine they would have taken it too well.

Sharla grunted. "Sayin' they were not thrilled is a bit of an' understatement," she said, "At first, anyways. Once they found out Gid owned his own business, and doin' pretty darn well with it, they changed their tune pretty quick. What 'bout your folks? I'm guessin' they're okay with it?"

Judy snorted. "Now they are, sure. I guess, but why do you think we're even here? Mom and dad saw the pictures in the paper and... were less than thrilled. They called the mayor's office, inexplicably got an answer on a Saturday, and managed to get the phone number to my boss."

Sharla's eyebrows went up. "Let me get straight," she said, "They called the mayor of Zootopia, then your boss - _the chief of police_ \- because of that picture in the paper?"

Judy nodded. "Uh huh, " she said then backtracked, "Well, not exactly. Remember that crazy uncle of mine who lives in the city? He must have gotten the paper early, saw that picture, and called my folks saying I was going to get eaten or who knows what, and they freaked out."

Sharla scoffed. "You mean your momma freaked out," she said.

Judy smiled tiredly. "Pretty much."

"Huh," Sharla said, "What's that gotta do with you comin' out here?"

Judy sighed. "So, they called my boss again yesterday afternoon, " she said and explained, "My phone was dead and Nick and I were having a nap at my place."

"Nap, huh?" Sharla said with a grin.

"Seriously! We were tired out from... uh...," Judy said as she stumbled over explaining why they were tired and ended it quickly with, "We were up late."

"Uh huh," Sharla said, still grinning, "How long you guys been goin' out anyways?"

"Uh," Judy said, "Since, um, Friday night?"

Sharla's ears went straight up. "What? You kiddin' me, girl? You just hooked up?"

Judy nodded. "Yup," she said simply, "In fact that picture? That was our first kiss."

"Wow, " Sharla said, "But, you guys must have known each other for over a year now!"

"Well, yeah, but Nick has been in training for almost all of it," Judy said and scratched an itch under one side of her jaw, "I've kind of been thinking about him for a while, I think. I just didn't want to admit it... or something." She shrugged. "I don't know, it's really weird, honestly."

Sharla smiled. "Oh I know exactly what ya mean," she said, "The whole 'Am I really fallin' for a fox' thing nibbling at the back of ya mind."

Judy shrugged again. "I guess," she said, looking off distractedly as she thought back through recent months. Of the giddy feeling she had been getting in Nick's company, and the empty feeling when she was away from him. "In retrospect, it seems so obvious, but I must have been trying really hard to ignore it," she said after a pause. "I was pretty busy with work too. The life of a rookie! Long hours and crappy shifts!" she said with feigned enthusiasm, but then continued in a tone heavy with sour sarcasm, "And _a lot_ more paperwork that I had ever imagined."

"You did it though, girl, " Sharla laughed quietly, and, after a few seconds' silence,said with pride in her voice, "You always said you were gonna be a cop, and dang if you didn't do it!"

Judy grinned. "Yeah, I did."

"Worth it?" Sharla asked curiously.

"Absolutely," Judy said without any hesitation. She loved her job. It wasn't everything she dreamed of by a long shot, but she wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. Well... except for Nick. Maybe. She wasn't one to seek praise but she would be lying if she didn't admit that she took pride in her success as a police officer.

"Hmm!" Sharla said, and they both went quiet for a bit. They could hear the low ruckus the family was making down under the veranda, a few of Judy's brothers and sisters seen farther out on the lawn talking or moving about.

"Boy," Sharla said eventually, "Your first kiss on the front page of Zootopia Times. That's got to be all kinds of awkward."

"You have no idea," Judy said sourly, "And that was just the start of it."

"Ooo, this sounds good," Sharla said and shifted a bit to face Judy more directly, "Gimme all the details!"

Judy debated on if she wanted to tell the whole story or not, but found that she actually did want to tell Sharla. Not Sharla specifically, although she could hardly ask for a better ear than that of her old friend, just someone. She hadn't had the chance to sit down and talk to anyone else about this besides Nick, and he didn't count.

Judy blew a breath out. "Okay, " she said thoughtfully, "Where to begin..."

* * *

Gideon stared after Sharla and Judy as he was guided by Nick.

"Well, uh, n-now that ya mention..." he started but trailed off, still following the two females as they disappeared around the curve of the gazebo, "Where ya think they're goin'?"

"Hmm?" Nick perked his ears and followed the gaze, letting his arm come off Gideon's shoulders as he started up the few short steps into the Gazebo. "Not a clue," he said, "But you can bet they'll be talking about us!"

Gideon puffed his cheeks and ran a paw through the longer fur on his head as he followed Nick. "T-that's what I'm 'fraid of," he said as he looked nervously around.

Several of Judy's family were looking at the pair of them. The looks directed at Gideon were a mix of curiosity and what could only be called neutrality if one was being generous.

Gideon ran a paw through the fur on his head again and followed Nick.

Stu and Bonnie were returning to their seats when Stu stopped. He said something to Bonnie, who nodded as they both sat down.

Nick looked for a place to sit. The only real seat open was the swing bench, which would do, and it would be big enough to hold Judy and Sharla when they returned from wherever it was they had gone. He started toward the bench when he noticed the nervous look Gideon had and paused. He leaned over slightly and asked in a low voice, "Say, Gideon, you wouldn't happen to be a drinking fox, would you?"

Gideon blinked and looked back and forth quickly before replying. "Depends. I sure could use one right 'bout now, and that's a fact," he said then reached into a pocket to pull a silver flask out just enough to be seen, "Brought a lil' somethin' you might like."

Nick grinned and nodded at the bench. "Have a seat. I'll get us something for you to put that in," he said and turned. He paused by Stu and Bonnie. "I'm just going to get us a couple of drinks, can I get you two anything?"

Stu waved a paw. "I'm good, thanks, Nick," he said and looked to Bonnie.

Bonnie held up a half-full glass of wine. "I'm fine, thank you, Nick," she said and took a drink.

Nick smiled and kept his expression from letting on, but from the half-glazed look in her eyes he would bet hard cash Bonnie was more than a little tipsy right now. "Okay then, be right back," he said and made his way towards the coolers.

He noticed he was getting a lot more room now as he moved down the veranda, rabbits parting out of his way much like they had for Bonnie earlier. Not all, he still had to weave and dodge here and there, but he had to wonder if his little display with Bill had been the best idea. Then again quite a number also gave him big smiles, knowing grins, and a few 'good job out there!' as well.

He reached the coolers, finding the two half full cups he had left still there and seemingly untouched. He kneeled down flipped the cooler open and stuffed his paw into it, pushing down and fishing around ice and frigid melted water half-way down. After a moment his fingers glided over the distinct shape of a large bottle. "Ah ha," he said with a grin. He had noticed that when Kalvin had handed him the full cup of vodka earlier that it had been ice cold so logically it had to have been in the ice packed cooler. Plus, it was hard for one lush to hide his booze from another, even if he was reformed.

By the time he was done, he had two ice cold and well-fortified drinks. He hoped Gideon didn't mind the carrot juice.

He made his way back occasionally holding the glasses high as he shifted around the occasional rabbit in his way. "Excuse me... pardon me... coming through!"

"Hey! Nick!" a voice said to his side, and a light gray, almost white, arm reached out to grab his own to stop him.

Nick paused and turned his head, careful to not slosh any of the drinks over the rim of the big - well, big for rabbits - party cups. "Oh, " he said as he spied Norris, one of the musically inclined siblings he had spoken to earlier down in the main hall, "What's up?"

Norris gave Nick a big buck toothed smile. "Hey, we're going to be getting the band going here in about thirty, you in?"

Nick pondered for a moment. "Might as well," he said, "Judy wanted me to bring my guitar, and it'd be a shame not to use it!"

"Great!" Norris said, "I'll grab you when we're getting set up."

Nick nodded. "Sounds good," he said, "I think I should be easy enough to find in this crowd."

Norris snorted a laugh. "That's true enough. You're a bit hard to miss around here. " he said and moved off back into the crowd.

Nick resumed his way back wondering what the 'Hoppin' Hopps' would play, but he was sure he would be able to join in regardless of what it was. He was actually looking forward to it especially considering Judy's admiration for his playing this morning. It kind of felt... well he wasn't sure. Cheap? Juvenile? He was her elder after all, yet he found really liked it when he impressed her like that. _Really liked it._ Like cub-getting-praise-from-an-adult liked it. He shook his head with a wry smile as he, and not for the first time, noted how utterly smitten he really was.

When he made it back to the gazebo he found Gideon and Stu talking. Gideon was leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and paws clasped. Stu was talking animatedly and gesticulating wildly. Gideon nodded to something that Stu said.

Bonnie on the other paw was leaning back in her chair. Her eyes were closed, and her mouth hung slightly open. Nick's eyes spotted the slight motion of the half empty glass of wine that Bonnie had in one slowly relaxing paw start to list to the side. He hurried up to the group and somehow managed to shove one of the full plastic cups at Gideon without spraying the other fox with its contents.

"Here, here, here!" he said quickly, the other startled fox taking the cup quickly. He barely managed to grab the wine glass before the contents spilled all over Bonnie's lap. "That was close," Nick sighed.

Bonnie jerked upright with a snort. "Wha..?" she mumbled and blinked bleary eyes up at Nick, who was still close and just straightening up. This caused her to start again and press herself back in alarm, but just for a moment. "Oh, Nick," she said as she brought her paws up to her chest. "I must have fallen asleep."

Nick gave his best charming smile as he held the glass up. "You just about ruined that pretty dress, Missus Hopps," he said.

Bonnie looked up at Nick, and then to the glass he held. It took her a few moments to put two and two together. "Oh dear," she said before giving an impressive yawn. "I think I had too much to drink, and I told you to call me Bonnie. Calling me Missus makes me feel old," she said finally and gave her head a little shake.

"Ah," Nick said as he set the mostly empty wine glass down on small end table, and moved to retake his own seat. "Of course, sorry Miss..." he started to say, "Uh, Bonnie." Bonnie gave a little roll of her eyes and scooted forward on the chair.

Stu looked up, startled. He had been too absorbed in his discussion with Gideon to notice the tilting glass himself. "I don't think I've seen you drink that much since our wedding night, Bon."

Bonnie gave a little snort and slid forward in the chair. "It's been an… interesting day," she said then suddenly snapped an arm out to grip an armrest as she wobbled. All three of the males tensed, ready to leap forward should she start to fall.

"Oh, my," Bonnie said, putting her other paw to her head, "I think you might be right Stu. I know I have a lot of kits, but I don't remember them doubling recently." One of her ears flopped to the side as she stared out over the party full of rabbits.

"I should help you inside," Stu said. He started to get up himself, but stopped when Bonnie waved a paw at him.

"I'm fine, Stu," she said.

Stu stayed frozen, half out of the chair. "You sure?" he asked, and Bonnie nodded.

"I'm fine," she said again, and more firmly this time. She took a deep breath, bracing herself. "I'll just go check on Jackie and the kits, then go to bed." She looked around for a moment, blinking. "Make sure you get everybody to clean up before calling it a night."

This time it was Stu's turn to roll his eyes. "I think I can manage for one night, Bon," he said a bit sourly.

Bonnie, tipsy or not, caught the tone and reached and gave Stu's arm a little pat. "Oh, shush. I know you can," she said softly. When she spoke again, it was barely above a whisper, but Nick caught it. "And if you should wake me up when you come in, I don't think I would mind."

Nick found himself with a sudden thirst and took sips from the cup to cover a grin while Gideon coughed, having been in mid sip himself.

Bonnie gave a very un-Bonnie-like giggle that made her sound twenty years younger and winked conspiratorially at Nick and Gideon. "I'll see you boys later," she said and turned. The crowd parted around her like they had when she entered, and she carefully made her way towards the front door.

"Sooo," Nick said in a bid to get conversation going again, "What were you two talking about? Pretty sure I heard my name mentioned." He actually already knew they had been discussing, something about Stu's wine ambitions, having caught the tail of what Stu had been saying to Gideon as he walked up.

Stu didn't react the to question at first, instead watching Bonnie walk away. He blinked and pulled his attention back to Nick and Gideon. "What?" he asked and scooted back, settling into his chair as his brain reprocessed Nick's question. "Oh! I was just telling Gid here about you having contacts in the City. You think you can do the same for him?"

Gideon perked up. "I-I've been thinkin' about for a while now already," he said, "I jus' don't know how t'go about doin' it." He paused in thought for a moment before continuing, "I mean, heck, I never even been to Zootopia!"

Nick's eyebrows went up in surprise. "Never?" he asked.

Gideon shook his head. "Nope," he said, "What's a country boy like me need t'go there for?"

Nick grinned. "Well, to sell pies and pastries for one thing," he said.

Both Gideon and Stu gave a little chuckle.

"Well, yeah," Gideon said, "But still, I don't gotta clue where I'd even start."

"Well, then," Nick said, still grinning, "Good thing you ran into me. I know everyone in the city, and I already have a plan."

"Ya do?" Gideon asked. His ears started to perk.

Nick took a sip of his drink. "Mhm," he hummed, "Just so happens I'm good..." he paused for a moment. He had been about to say 'good friends,' but he honestly didn't know what his status was with Honey just now. He gave himself a little shake and just went with it. "Good friends with the owner of one of the most popular diners in the city."

This made Gideon's ears perk straight up. "Really?"

Nick nodded. "Sure do. Used to work for her, in fact, back in the day," he said and took another sip of his drink as he composed his thoughts. He did have a plan of sorts. It had been just a vague idea, but as he thought about it, the details quickly fell into place. "I know all the desserts she has are from one of the city's food service companies-"

Gideon snorted in disgust. "Ugh," he said, "I know what yer talkin' about. What they call 'pie' is an insult t'real pies!"

Nick didn't think they were that bad, but he was talking to the one who had made the exquisite pie they had just ate a little while ago, so he couldn't blame Gideon.

"Exactly!" he said, "And I think that's the place to start."

Gideon hummed for a moment, looking thoughtful. "Popular ya say?"

Nick nodded and leaned back. "Oh, yes," he said with an easy smile, "It's right downtown. It's the go to place around there. Well, for breakfast at least, but if you go there at the wrong time of day you'll be waiting a while for a seat. Just a few blocks from the Precinct One and City Hall, not to mention all the other shops and businesses there. It'll make for great exposure." Nick tapped a finger against a chin. "You'll need some kind of... display or something. Branding..."

"Well, heck," Gideon said, "I already got somethin' there. I had some signs and stuff made up for pretty much just that."

"Perfect!" Nick said. His eyes unfocused for a moment as he pictured it all in his mind. He could see it all now. The diner had one of those tall, refrigerated glass enclosures that slowly rotated around to show off what desserts were on offer. He pictured a sign pasted or secured on top, and full of various fox-made confections.

The old Nick perked up and saw dollar signs. Honey's would just be the beginning. If he was right, word would spread pretty quickly, and if others didn't come looking, it would at least make it easier to sell the idea to other places. Restaurants, bistros, coffee houses... He blinked and shook his head.

The silence had dragged on some as everybody seemed to be pondering their own thoughts, "So," Nick began, "I think we start simple." The short-term plan solidified in his mind. "Judy and I take a few of your pies, and whatever else you want to send, back to Zootopia with us as a sample for Honey."

"Honey?" Gideon asked.

"Uh," Nick said, "Oh, that's the owner. In fact the place is named Honey's."

Gideon narrowed his eyes. "I think I've heard of her," he said slowly.

It was Nick's turn for ears to go up. "You have?" he asked.

Gideon nodded. "Uh huh," he said, brow furrowing in thought, "I think it was in one of them business owner magazines I get. Ain't she like one of the only fox business owners in the city?"

Nick nodded. "Sure is," he said, "I can only think of a couple of others, and she actually pulls quite a bit of clout in the business community these days." He felt a momentary prick of guilt. He may have avoided Honey for years, but he had still kept tabs on her all the same.

"Huh," Gideon said, still lost in thought. He blinked and nodded after a moment. "Well, 'aight, then" he said, "Tell ya what. When you'n Judy headin' back?"

Nick hummed and shrugged. "Good question," he said, "Tomorrow sometime, though have to double check with Judy and see what she says. I'm just along for the ride." This garnered a few chuckles from both Gideon and Stu.

"Well, let me know when. What I'll do is drop of a couple extra pies an' such on my mornin' rounds for y'all to take back."

Nick nodded. "Perfect," he said, and then realized that this would necessitate a visit to Honey sooner rather than later. While he'd said he would go visit Honey soon, it was still a visit that was more of an idea without any solid timeframe. One of 'future Nick's' problems... future Nick just happened to be him. The now familiar tingle of shame and dread washed up his back. He told himself to stop acting like such a kit and stamped down on the feeling.

Gideon suddenly slapped a paw down on his knee. "Well, heck!" he said, "This is excitin'! If I can show there's a real market in the city, it'll make gettin' that loan to expand a whole heck of a lot easier!"

"Loan?" Nick's ears pricked back up like they tended to do anytime money was mentioned.

"Yup," Gideon said and leaned back in his seat. He gestured vaguely with the paw that held the now half empty cup. "I can hardly keep up the demand! Heck it's jus' me and Sharla right now. I need a bigger place an' need t'hire some folks to help with the grunt work."

"Huh," Nick said. His old self started to assert itself again. He had money. He could give Gideon a loan... a loan with a more than reasonable interest rate that no bank could match. The idea made him smile to himself. The idea of sticking it to a bank was quite attractive. He had tried numerous times to get a loan to start his park. It had been years ago, but he had been turned down more times than he could count. A certain scowling rabbit face flashed into his mind. _Judy would kill me,_ he thought, and quickly stowed the idea. _Straight and narrow now, Nick. No more... questionable activities. Especially with money I can't explain._

"That's got to make for some long days," Nick said, instead.

"Brother, you have no idea," Gideon said.

"Well," Nick said and paused to down more of his drink and crunch an ice cube for a moment, "We got a starting point, and I can guarantee you Honey will want more once she gets a taste of that pie."

"And t'think I wasn't gonna come t'night," Gideon said.

"You weren't?" both Nick and Stu said at the same time.

Gideon shook his head. "Nah. Sharla talked me in'ta it," he said. His ears splayed out and he looked around nervously. "I-I mean, I bullied a lotta the Hopps when I was a kit." He shrugged and ducked his head some, "I-I've made amends as best I can, but I still get plenty of evil eyes... and I still feel like a right jerk too."

Nick immediately picked up on a slight stutter from Gideon when he started talking about his past.

Stu waved a paw. "Bah, you can't beat yourself up forever, Gid," he said, "Seems to me you're about as far from who you were as you can be."

Gideon shrugged again. "I-I know, it's just..." he said and trailed off.

"It's never enough," Nick said. _He may be a country boy,_ Nick thought, _but we both have our own demons from the past haunting us._ "We all have our own burdens." He swirled the remaining drink and ice around in his cup, "But the only option is to put on our big boy pants and act like adults."

"Amen to that," Gideon said and raised his glass.

Nick raised his own to tap the two cups together before each took a long drink.

Gideon smacked his lips and looked into the cup. "What is this? Carrot juice and vodka?"

Nick nodded. "Yup, that it is," he said, "Disgusting I know, but it's what's here."

Gideon raised an eyebrow. He looked at Stu for a second then back to Nick. "You wan' a nip of blueberry moonshine? Made it m'self."

Nick looked heavenwards. "Does everyone in this town make their own booze?" He had a battle with the finger wagging teetotaller inside him, but since he was already half in the bag, it was a very brief battle. He looked back down. "And yes, I would very much like some. Especially if it's as good as your pies."

Gideon chuckled. "Well, I dunno about being as good as m'pies, but I like it," he said as he leaned to the side to reach down into a pocket and pulled out a brushed metal flask. He poured a fingers worth into Nick's proffered cup then looked at Stu. "Stu, you want some? Made from yer blueberries!"

A tired-looking Stu looked at the flask for a moment. "Um," he said, and after a few moments pondering, he shrugged his shoulders. "Sure, why not?" He realized he didn't have a glass, then spied Bonnie's wine glass on the end table. He leaned over and managed to snag it with two outstretched fingers and pulled it to himself. He downed the small amount of wine still in the glass and held it out, and Gideon poured a respectable, but appropriately rabbit sized shot in.

"Now, be care-" Gideon began as Nick took a tentative sip of his newly adulterated drink, and Stu lifted his glass and tossed it back.

Nick blinked, then his eyes went wide. It was smooth at first, but even diluted with a half a cup of the icy juice and vodka it burned all the way down. His face screwed up, one eye closing tight. "Ugh!" was all he managed to get out. Stu let out a similar noise and gasped for breath as pounded a tightly balled fist on the armrest. Several of the nearby Hopps' heads turned at the outburst, several bursting out into laughter.

Gideon laughed along with them. "I-I was gonna say to be careful! I said it was moonshine! Stuff's damn near pure ethanol!" He said and swirled his own drink around before taking a much more judicious sip. "Ahhh," he sighed and leaned back, looking back and forth between Nick and Stu with amusement.

"Holy!" Nick gasped. He looked through watering eyes at Stu, actually concerned. If his drink was that bad even mixed in with watered down juice and vodka then downing it like Stu just had must feel like drinking blueberry flavored fire. "You going to be okay, " he started but had to pause to cough,"...over there Stu?"

Stu blinked his eyes, but managed to nod. He coughed and held up a finger as he gasped for breath. "I'm... done," he croaked, "For the night... holy moly!" he said and smacked a paw down on the armrest a few more times before sucking in a deep breath and coughing again.

"First one's always the worst," Gideon said with a grin.

Nick cleared his throat and wiped a thumb at corners of his eyes. "Yeah," he said, voice still a bit raspy, "Second one sends you to the hospital."

Gideon gave another little chuckle, and Nick glared accusingly at him.

"You knew that was going to happen," he accused.

Gideon grinned wider. "I kinda reckoned it would."

Nick cleared his throat again, but had mostly recovered. Stu was bit behind him wiping at his watering eyes and running nose.

"Tell ya what though," Gideon said, "Nothin' better after a long day than a shot of that stuff. Takes the edge clean off."

"Mmm," Nick hummed, "Along with the paint." He smacked his lips some and just now realized that it not only had been strong but fairly sweet, along with the distinct taste of blueberries mixed in with that of carrots. He eyed his cup dubiously as he felt heat blossom in his belly and start radiating outward, and decided to just swirl it around for a bit and let the remaining ice dilute it before risking another sip.

He looked over at the still recovering Stu. "Hey, Stu, you want me to get you some juice? Or water?"

Stu waved a paw at him but seemed to think that something else to drink was a good idea, and scooting forward to stand up. "No… uh, no thanks, I'll get it." He got up slowly and started making his way to the coolers.

Nick leaned back and watched Stu. He noted that everyone parted around him like they did for Bonnie, but didn't give him quite as big an 'area,' as it were. He took another tentative sip of the drink. He wasn't sure if it was the melting ice or that all his nerve endings in his mouth and throat had been mostly killed off, but it was not nearly as bad as that first taste. He was even able to appreciate the sweetness and taste of blueberries now. He thought the mix with the carrot juice and vodka actually went pretty well together. He rubbed his nose across the back of one paw and sniffed, turning to Gideon.

"So," he said, "You and Sharla, huh? How'd that come about?"

Gideon seemed to become more animated suddenly. His ears pricked up, his shoulders come out of their slight slouch as he straightened up, and his eyes gleamed.

Nick had seen this kind of reaction before, almost always when talking to someone who was hopelessly in love. _Oh good gods,_ he suddenly thought, _is that how I look when I talk about Judy?_ His mind flashed back to half a dozen or more conversations he had with other mammals over the past year. _Yup,_ he thought, _That is probably exactly how I look._

"Well," Gideon said and ran a paw through his head fur again, "Damnedest thing really. She, uh, just kind walked inta m'shop one day and said 'Gideon Grey, you are the last mammal on this planet I thought would own a business, let alone a bakery!'"

Nick grinned and chuckled quietly, and Gideon joined him.

"Boy, I tell you what, I 'bout fell over myself apologizing t'her," Gideon said then gave a Nick abashed look as he said, "I picked on her an' her brother somethin' fierce when I was a kit."

Nick noticed the stutter that popped up earlier when Gideon was talking about his past was nowhere to be found.

Gideon gave a little snort. "She tol' me later she thought it was cute, me stumblin' an' stutterin' like some fool."

"Funny you should mention that," Nick said and took another careful sip of his drink, "I was just noticing how you stuttered a bit when you were talking about how you, er, weren't so kind to the Hopps as a kit."

Gideon blinked. "Yeah, dredgin' up bad m-memories always-?" he began before cursing, "Dang it! It gets worse w-when I think about it!" He shook his head. "Y-ya know, it didn't start until-"

"Around the time the guilt started settling in?" Nick provided.

Gideon nodded. "Eyup," he said then sighed, "I'm sure one of them head doctors could m-make somethin' of it."

Nick smiled wryly. "Guilt's a hell of a thing," he said, "I got plenty of my own, so I speak from experience."

Gideon nodded. "So, what's yers then?" he asked after a few seconds of silence.

"Hmm?" Nick had been staring down into his cup. He raised it to hazard a drink, but just before the cup touched his lips, he said, "Oh, being a shitty son by missing my mom's death in the hospital by minutes because I had a snit about something I can't even remember and took off a few weeks earlier. " He took a pretty big gulp of the drink this time. The burn was hardly noticeable now. "Then, I treated a close family friend like dirt for… no good reason, if I can be honest."

He swallowed and licked his chops. "In fact, that was Honey, the owner of that diner." Nick blinked his eyes and stomped down on the emotions welling up. This is one of the long list of reasons he shied away from drinking these days. Finnick always cracked that Nick drinking was like throwing keys to the asylum inmates, which usually earned a swat from him. Nick was a bit more self-assured now, but the sting of guilt was still there.

Gideon winced. "Oh, uh," he muttered. His eyes were downcast towards clasped paws in his lap. "Sorry t'hear. That... that's rough."

"Yeah," Nick said. He looked around, wondering where Stu had gotten to. He could do with a convenient change of subject. He spotted the odd ripple of parting rabbit ears that he assumed meant he was making his way back. "But," he said, "The first thing I can't do anything about, the second I... I'm putting right, or trying to, anyway."

Gideon's ears cocked. "So, y-you made up with this Honey?"

Nick caught the slight concern in the question, but he understood. Here he had been saying how Honey was going to be his starting point into distribution in the city, and now just said that there was some major issue between them. He nodded.

"Yeah," he said and shrugged, "Working on it. It's... uh... complicated. Well, complicated on my side anyways. The problem was always me." Nick grinned then. "But then came along this little gray rabbit..."

Gideon's eyebrows went up. "Judy?" he asked, and Nick nodded in reply. He then noticed Stu then as well and eyed the older male, who seemed to be shuffling more than walking, critically. "You okay there Stu?"

Stu, now with one of the 'big' party cups in his paw nodded and made it to his chair. "Uh, yeah, yeah," he said with the ever so slight slur of those who were on the edge of 'too much to drink.' He sat down and leaned back. "Whew, that's better." He sighed as if walking the short distance to and back from the coolers had been an uphill hike. He blinked and looked back and forth as the two foxes staring at him. "I'm fine!" he said.

"Hmm," Nick hummed and squinted an eye. "You sure? Do we need to take you inside and tuck you in?"

Gideon snorted out a laugh, and Stu rolled his eyes.

"That's just what I need," he snorted then yawned, "Mmm... I'd never hear the end of it from Bon." He looked bat to the two, "So what were you two talking about?"

Nick shrugged and nodded his head at Gideon. "Just talking about how Sharla and him got together," he said. Gideon nodded in agreement.

Stu's sat up straighter then. "Speaking of which!" he said and looked at Gideon, "Why didn't you tell me you were dating Judy's old friend?"

Gideon scratched behind an ear and grimaced. "Well, I-I wanted to, but Sharla wanted t'keep it quiet until she was ready," he said, adding air quotes with one paw at the end. "She was real worried folks an' such would wouldn't take kindly to it, especially her ma and pa."

Stu hummed and exchanged a look with Nick. "They know now?" he asked and Gideon nodded.

"Yeah, they've known for a while now," he said and sipped his drink pensively.

"How'd they take it?" Nick asked.

Gideon grimaced again. "Er, not well," he said, "Can't say I blamed 'em after the hard time I g-gave Sharla and her brother when we was kits. But, I tell you what - they changed their tune right quick when they found out I own the most popular bakery in the Tri-Burrows."

Nick snorted. "Funny how that works," he said with wry amusement.

Gideon nodded. "Yeah," he said, "I still don' think they like me much, but I s'pose they hide it pretty well."

He heaved a heavy sigh before continuing. "Her brother tho, he _really_ ain't too fond of me," he said with emphasis while shaking his head,"I t-think if he had his way, I'd be in a shallow grave somewheres."

"That bad, huh?" Nick asked.

Gideon nodded. "Yeah. I even apologized t'him. More'n once. H-he just won't have it."

Nick grunted. He knew some mammals like that who held onto grudges from decades ago.

A snort that turned into a brief snore drew both of their attention and Nick, for the second time that night, had to snap an arm out to grab a tilting beverage from the slackening paw of a sleeping rabbit. "Well," he said, "That was quick."

Gideon blinked and chuckled. "I-I think the 'shine did him in," he said.

Nick set the cup down on the end table. "Judy and I had dinner with them earlier," he said, "We went through a couple big bottles of that wine he's making."

Gideon chuckled some more. "I thought he seemed a bit more loose n'usual."

Gideon's eyes narrowed and he looked at Nick for a long moment as if debating something. He finally leaned closer and asked quietly, "Y-you, uh, mind if I ask you a... um, kinda personal question?"

Nick quirked an eyebrow. "I guess that kind of depends on the question, but I'll do my best."

Gideon opened his muzzle to speak, but stopped to look at the still lightly-snoring Stu, then to the other Hopps family members standing some feet away.

Nick's curiosity grew, wondering what the other fox could possibly be about to ask him.

Gideon finally turned back to Nick and leaned in even closer. "Does... uh, does Miss Judy ever ask you t'... um, ya know, uh... like show her yer fangs n'claws? Ask ya t'chase her 'round and... um.. bite her n'stuff?"

Nick's expression froze for a long second before he made a noise that was half snort, half strangled giggle as he desperately tried not to burst into laughter. Given he had already been sporting a serious buzz, the moonshine seemed to be going straight to his head. He watched the expression on Gideon's face fall into embarrassment and frustration. Nick quickly pulled himself together, brought a paw up to his muzzle, and cleared his throat quietly. "Ah.. ahem. You too, huh?" he said in as calm a voice he could manage.

Gideon's ears shot up, and he stared at Nick for a moment before falling back into the chair with a slump.

"Oh, thank goodness," the other fox said, "I-I thought Sharla was crazy or somethin'." He sat up straighter again. "I mean, she is crazy, but I thought _crazy_ crazy, ya know?"

Nick took a few moments to beat down the near irresistible urge to giggle. He looked down at what remained in his cup to give himself something to focus on.

Gideon looked over at the still out Stu then asked, "So, uh, did she jus' come out'n ask ya?"

Nick wasn't terribly sure this was something he should be discussing with other mammals, especially this particular one given his and Judy's history, but the increasing buzz had apparently gotten to his sense of self-preservation too.

"Well," Nick finally started, "Last night, after-"

"Wait," Gideon interrupted,"Last night? How long two been, uh, ya know, datin'?"

Nick shrugged noncommittally. "Erm, since Friday night?"

Gideons ears went straight up. "Friday night!" he exclaimed, then hunched his shoulder as Stu snorted loudly and mumbled something. Both he and Nick watched Stu for a few moments, waiting to see if the rabbit would wake up or not. When Stu stopped and went quiet, Gideon spared a look for the nearby chatting Hopps before lowering his voice. "Friday night?" he said again.

Nick nodded and downed the last of the contents of the cup. _So much for taking it slow,_ part of him said. _Shut up,_ he replied. _Just saying,_ the voice said with a mental shrug.

Nick shrugged outwardly, determined not to get into a drunken argument with himself. "Yup, Friday night," he said simply.

"Huh," Gideon said, "I jus' figured you two were t'gether after all that stuff with the night howlers n'such."

Nick nodded. "Yeah, it's a strange story." He covered his muzzle with a fist as he let out a little hiccup. "I guess we might have gotten together earlier if I hadn't spent most of the last year at the Academy. As it was we just kind of, um, danced around each other until the other night."

"Huh," Gideon said again then after a few silent seconds asked, "And she asked ya to, uh, ya know... then?"

Nick again had an internal battle on how wise talking about this was, but the battle once again didn't last long. He nodded. "Uh huh, though it probably did start with the, uh, nighthowler thing."

"How ya mean?" Gideon asked as she relaxed back into the seat again.

Nick poked his tongue at his cheek for a moment in thought. He settled on giving Gideon a very brief rundown of what had happened with Bellwether at the Natural History Museum. "So," he concluded, "We had gone out last night and got a little tipsy... and she kind of asked me to, um, do it again." He felt that was plenty enough of candid disclosure for now. He was _not_ about to get into what they had been up to most of the afternoon.

"Huh," Gideon said again and took a rather conservative sip from his cup.

"It's all your fault, you know," Nick said with a grin sneaking onto his muzzle, "You bullying them when they were kits... now they're dating us?"

Gideon sighed. "I-I know," he said, "I was kinda 'fraid of that."

Nick's eyebrows went up and he chuckled. "I was kidding."

Gideon snorted. "I ain't," he said, "I-I thought Sharla might just, be, ya know, funny that way, but now I ain't so sure." He blinked and quickly added, "Not that I'm complain', mind ya. I mean... it's fun n'all, just... mighty strange. I-I just... aw heck, I dunno."

It was Nick's turn to snort and up-ended the cup to snag an ice cube to suck on. Given the comments from Judy's siblings, let alone Bonnie's admission earlier, Nick didn't think Gideon was the cause of their respective females inclinations. At least not solely. _I think so, anyway..._ he thought to himself as he became less sure about it. He shook his head to clear it and shrugged. "Well, don't worry about it. It's not that uncommon after all," he said around the ice cube, and leaned back into the seat causing it to swing a bit.

Gideon blinked. "It ain't?" he asked.

Nick gave the other fox a critical eye. "You don't get on the internet very much, do you Gideon?" he asked dryly.

Gideon rolled his eyes. "D-don't you start on me too! Sharla already says I need to 'get with the times,'" he said making a quote mark in the air with his free paw again.

Nick was about to respond when Gideon forestalled him with a raised paw. "Now I-I know I look like some dumb country fox, but I ain't s-stupid. I know you can do all sortsa neat stuff with it. I mean heck, Sharla uses it all the time t'order stuff'n supplies now, but I'm just too busy t'do much other than read the news n'such."

Nick nodded and shrugged. He knew several mammals who hardly knew how to turn a computer on; Honey being one of them. "Fair enough," he said.

Gideon wasn't finished however, and fished a paw into one of the voluminous pockets of his overalls and pulled out a sleek-looking and very modern smart phone.

"I mean, heck, Sharla made me get this darn thing," he said waggling the phone back and forth. "Cost m-me better part of a thousand bucks, and I can barely make a call on it." He stuffed the phone back in his pocket. "Sharla tries to send me those text messages on it, then gets all huffy when I call her instead of sendin' a message back! If ya wanna say somethin' t'someone t-then call 'em for cryin' out loud! Bad 'nuff with everyone walkin' 'round with their heads d-down lookin' at the dang things!"

Nick could not help chuckling. He could just imagine the arguments between the more modern tech savvy sheep and the country boy fox. Not that he thought Gideon was wrong. He was guilty of it himself, although he did note that he had hardly touched his phone since Friday night.

The conversation had gone very off track. Nick wasn't sure if he wanted to pull it back to the previous topic of discussion, but he had to admit he was a bit curious as to how Sharla has brought it up.

"So, how did Sharla bring up... um, ahem... you know?"

Gideon blinked then his ears flagged. "Oh, that. Uh, well," he said and gave one of those conspiratorial looks around first. "Uh, I guess. it was when... we, uh, l-like when she started comin' 'round more and we got to talkin' n'such, she really liked t'tease me 'bout w-what a jerk I used'ta be on account of how flustered I got." He paused for a moment to think before continuing. "Then one day, she does it again, and I-I start apologizin'. Went somethin' like 'Now miss Sharla, I told you I'm real sorry n'ashamed of how I treated y'all when we was kits,' an' she goes... she goes an' says 'It's okay Mister Grey, I kinda liked it!'

Nick's fought down the urge to laugh again clamping his muzzle shut tight, but a bark of laughter escaped all the same

"What's a feller 'sposed to say t'somethin' like that?" "Gideon said in an exasperated tone.

Nick swallowed and composed himself. "I don't know," he said calmly, "What did you say?"

"Huh?" Gideon said, "Oh, heck, I didn't say nothin'! My mind just went all empty. She giggled at me, winked, and walked out!" Gideon rubbed a paw over the end of his muzzle. "I tell you what, when things got all serious n'such, she was _not_ shy 'bout askin' for it. No sir."

Nick couldn't help laughing again and shook his head. "She sounds like a firecracker," he said.

Gideon quirked one corner of his muzzle up in a lopsided grin. "Brother, you got no idea."

Nick grinned back. "Oh, I think I might."

Gideon thought for a second then nodded. "Mmm.. I reckon you're probably right about that!" he said and chuckled himself.

"Nick!" called a voice from down the Veranda. Nick looked, along with Gideon and a bunch of Judy's family. Norris was standing up on the railing and holding onto a support pillar. He waved at Nick.

"You in?" the rabbit called to him.

Nick cupped a paw to the side of his muzzle. "Yeah! Just let me go get my guitar!"

Norris gave him a thumbs up and hopped down out of sight.

"What's all this?" Gideon asked.

"Oh," Nick said and set his cup down. "Seems the band's getting together for a little entertainment."

"Band?" Gideon asked,"They gotta band?"

"Apparently," Nick said, "The Hoppin' Hopps."

Gideon rolled his eyes. "Oh, lordy..."

"I know, right? They really need to work on that name." Nick said with a grin. As he stood up, the world tilted dangerously for a moment. He quickly became aware of just how much alcohol he'd been given that night. He caught and righted himself. _Okay there Nick_ , he told himself, _you're cut off._ "That moonshine sneaks up on you," he said to Gideon.

"I told ya," the other fox replied.

Thing's settled, and Nick risked a full arm stretch. It was good timing. If he sat around much longer, he might end passed out like Stu. He spared a glance for the rabbit, who was still out cold with head lolling back against the backrest, mouth hanging open.

"I reckon I'll go'n try t'find where Sharla and Judy got off too," Gideon said, "I dunno 'bout you, but my ears have been burnin' somethin' fierce." Gideon followed Nick's look to Stu and hummed. "Ya think we should wake him up?"

Nick waved a paw. "Let him sleep," he said and started walking, but turned around with a sudden bit of clarity, "But do me a favor, do not give Judy any of that moonshine. She's had plenty tonight already."

Gideon raised his eyebrows. "Well, alright then," he said then turned, looking out and in the direction, Sharla had dragged Judy. "Now, where the heck did they get to?"

Nick gave a two fingered salute, "Good hunting!" he said without thinking as he turned to make his way through the crowd of Hopps, completely oblivious to the cringing look Gideon gave him, and to the surprised expressions from others near by.


	21. Chapter 21 - Mister Fox

"...And here we are," Judy said ending the story filling Sharla in on everything starting from her first days on the force, and the beginning of the missing mammals investigation to their arrival here earlier. She had tried to start with just the last few days, but kept having to go back and explain things so she ended up just starting from that first day.

Sharla shook her head, looking out at the dark landscape. "An' here I thought my life had gotten all interestin'."

Judy let out a little laugh. "Being engaged to Gideon Grey is plenty interesting, I can assure you," she said with amused emphasis.

Sharla snorted. "Please, girl. I'm workin' with my fox at a bakery. Y'all are bonafide heroes!"

Judy rolled her eyes and sighed.

Sharla chuckled. "You roll yer eyes, but s'true! We even have tourists now!"

Judy's eyes went wide. "You're kidding me? Tourists?"

Sharla's chuckle turned into a full giggle, and she nodded. "Uh huh! Not a ton, but I've ran into more'n a few out t'see where the 'famous Judy Hopps' grew up! I know Gid mentioned runnin' inta some at yer folks stand a couple times, too!"

Judy groaned, flopped back down onto the grass, and put her paws over her eyes. "All I wanted was to be a police officer and make the world a better place!" she whined.

Sharla rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Didn't your folks ever tell ya?"

Judy took a big breath and sighed, pulling her paws down her face are staring up at the stars. "No," she said, "But they know I hate that kind of thing... well at least mom does." She thought back to a few MuzzleTime calls where her mother had cut her clearly excited father off just before he was about to say something. Now she had a better idea of what it could have been. Her dad was overflowing with pride when it came to her. They both were. Fear too, but her mom had the sense to keep things like nosy tourists — _tourists for crying out loud!,_ she thought — quiet as she knew how much it grated on her, whereas her dad loved to brag about her to anyone who would listen.

Sure the fame and notoriety _were_ nice, but visiting Bunnyburrow to see where she grew up? That bordered on stalking in her mind's eye. She did have a few borderline stalkers in Zootopia, too, which was more than enough for her. They were all fairly harmless, but some of her so-called fans were prone to fanaticism.

"Well," Sharla started, but before she could finish, a voice called from down below.

"Sharla! J-Judy! Where the heck ya go?"

Judy sat up and looked in the direction of the call. They couldn't really see anything, but it was obviously Gideon.

"Well," Judy said, "I guess we've been up here long enough?"

"I reckon, let's go. I want to talk to this fox of yours!" Sharla said.

"Oh, goodie!" Judy said sarcastically as Sharla called back down.

"Up here, baby!" Sharla called down into the darkness.

There was a long pause before Gideon called out again. "What tha' heck y'all doin' up there!" he called up at them, "Y'all get down from there 'fore y'all break yer necks!"

Both Sharla and Judy burst out laughing.

"Yes, Dad!" Judy called back. That was pretty much exactly what her father used to yell at them when they were kids.

"W-what?" came back the puzzled reply, "I ain't yer dad! It's Gideon!'

This just made both of them laugh even harder as they got to their feet.

"What's so dang funny?" Gideon called up to them, but this caused another round of sniggers as the pair made their way down. Towards the bottom they both started to slide as Judy's furred feet and Sharla's wooly and hooved ones made it nearly impossible not to.

Gideon squawked in alarm as they built up decent momentum by the time they hit bottom.

Judy lithely jumped and landed. At least she tried to. A jump that she normally did without was suddenly a lot more difficult, and she nearly tumbled right onto her face. She barely managed to stay upright, arms windmilling around as she half jogged, half stumbled a few steps forward. _I meant to do that_ , she told herself, _Yup. Totally on purpose._

Sharla let out a squealing giggle and ran right into a wide eyed Gideon who had positioned himself to catch her. The pair spun around with Sharla draping her arms around Gideon's shoulders. She smooched the fox on his nose.

"Don't ya worry, foxy, " she said with a smile, "Judy'n I used do that all the time when we was kids."

The smooch seemed to either mollify or distract Gideon. "Well, um, alright then," he said slowly.

 _Definitely distracted_ , Judy thought with amusement and relief that the two had been too focused on each other to watch her nearly faceplant into the turf.

Sharla hummed and give Gideon another little smooch, this time on the lips. "You bring that flask of yers?" she asked as she hooked her arm around Gideons and they started to walk back around to the front of the burrow.

"Uh, yeah," Gideon said. The dim light from the gazebo and veranda showing the fox patting down his front for a second before fishing fingers into a pocket to pull out a shiny metal flask that gleamed in the moonlight and pass it to Sharla.

"What's that?" Judy asked curiously as Sharla unscrewed the cap. The sheep grinned at her; the white of her eyes and teeth standing out in the low light.

"Moonshine!" Sharla said and tilted her head back take a long pull. She stopped suddenly and rapidly stamped on foot on the ground. "Gah!" she gasped out and shook her head, "Woo!"

Judy's eyebrows and ears went up. "That' good, huh?" she asked dubiously.

Sharla nodded silently and held the flask out to her. "You.. you should try it!" she gasped.

Judy was about to say no. She was still riding a pretty good buzz from that wine they had at dinner, and there was that promise to herself to not be making a habit of it, but before she could say anything Gideon raised a paw and started reaching out.

"Now no offense Judy, but Nick said I-I shouldn't be lettin' you have any'a this stuff."

Judy's eyes narrowed. "Oh, he did, did he?" she said and snatched the flask away from Sharla's outstretched hand just as Gideon's fingers brushed it. "I'm a big doe, Gideon," she said, "I'll make my own decisions, thank you very much." She didn't have many pet peeves, but someone else making decisions for her was high on that short list.

"Take-" Sharla huffed out, but Judy was already tilting her head back.

Judy sucked in a respectable mouthful of the stuff and swallowed. _I don't see what the big deal is,_ she thought, _it doesn't seem —_ Her eyes bugged out, and thoughts cut off mid-stream as fire erupted in her mouth. This was nothing like the sweet carroty drink from last night or the wine at dinner. This _burned_. The burning quickly sped down her throat to her belly where it began to radiate outward almost instantly. She didn't even notice Gideon grabbing the flask from her slacking paw as she gasped. She stamped her foot rapidly against the ground as her face scrunched up in a tight grimace. Her paws flapped up and down as her body went on autopilot.

"-it easy," Sharla completed.

Despite the alcoholic inferno shooting across her tastebuds, Judy was less than pleased at the obvious amused tone in Sharla's voice.

"Aww jeez," Gideon said. He recapped the flask and slid it back into his pocket.

Judy finally stopped hopping around and bent over to put her paws on her knees. "What..." she croaked out in a whisper, "What... is that? P-paint thinner?"

Sharla gave herself a little shake, "I tol' ya girl," she said voice sounding more normal now, "Moonshine! Gid made it! Gotta kick, don't it?"

"From a horse," Judy squeaked; eliciting a laugh out of Sharla. Judy managed to stand back up and wiped her paws at her tearing eyes, swallowing hard several times. "Holy crap." She coughed before sniffing loudly. She had never had anything like that before. It reminded her of the insanely hot peppers Grizzoli grew crossed with tear gas. Thankfully it didn't seem to be lasting longer than either of those as the burn finally started to subside into a kind of warm and sweet blueberry numbness. She could certainly feel it leaching into her bloodstream from her stomach as her entire body began to heat up.

"You gonna be okay?" Sharla asked with that grin on her muzzle again.

"Woo," Judy said and blinked, "I think so... Nick might have been right though."

Sharla giggled quietly, and Gideon grumbled something inaudible. Sharla bumped Gideon with her hip, "Oh hush you," she said, "She's fine!"

Judy swiped at her eyes again, she was having a hard time focusing still. "What were we even doing?" she asked, voice still breathy.

"I dunno!" Sharla said, "What _are_ we doin', Gid?"

Gideon ran a paw through his head fur and puffed out his cheeks. "Well," he said, "Nick went t-t'get his guitar. Somethin' 'bout a family band?"

Both Judy's and Sharla's ears went up.

"Oh!" Judy said, "That's right!"

"Mmm!" Sharla hummed and tugged Gideon as they all resumed walking, "Wait t'ill you hear 'em Gid!" she said, "Use'ta love listenin' to Judy's sibs playing!" She looked to Judy. "Nick plays the guitar?" she asked.

Judy nodded and blinked her eyes. The alcohol seemed to be making a beeline for her brain. It didn't feel bad — in fact, just the opposite. The ground beneath her feet had started to float away as she felt lighter than air. She smiled. "Uh huh, and the saxophone," she said, "I think he plays other things too... he's really good."

"Ain't he a fox'a many talents!" Sharla said as they walked around to the front of the burrow.

The gazebo was now bustling with activity as various members of her family were there setting things up with more moving down the veranda. A lot those who had been milling around and chatting had moved out onto the lawn to wait while things got set up.

"Well, heck," Gideon said as he watched more and more rabbits joined those already there, "Y'all got whole... uh, what's it called when ya got a bunch'a mammals with instruments?"

"Ya mean a band?" Sharla said with dripping sarcasm.

Gideon's brow furrowed, and he glowered, although not very seriously. "I-I know what a band is, devil-ewe! " he snapped, which got a giggle from Sharla, "I mean when there's lots of 'em all playin' fancy music n'such… s'on the tip of my tongue…"

"An orchestra?" Judy offered, cocking an eyebrow.

Gideon snapped his fingers and pointed at her. "That's it!"

Judy turned her attention back to the gathering 'Hopping Hopps'. "Well," she said and put her paws on her hips, "Can't say you're wrong there." While nowhere near the size of a full orchestra, just about every class of instrument was represented in one form or another.

She looked for Nick, but didn't see him and guessed he was still fetching his guitar. She did see someone helping her father up out of his chair where he had apparently fallen asleep, however. Her mother was nowhere to be seen.

"W-what kinda music they play?" Gideon asked as he wrapped an arm around Sharla as she snuggled up close to him.

"Oh, all kinds," Judy said as she glanced at the two. "I suspect we'll hear a little bit of everything."

Sharla saw Judy's glance and grinned with a wink.

Judy rolled her eyes, but smiled all the same. Looking at them caused a pang of longing, and she wondered what was taking Nick so long. It wasn't like her room was on the other side of the burrow. She idly wondered if he had gotten lost.

"So what were y'all talkin' about up there anyways?" Gideon asked after the silence started dragging on.

"Oh, you mostly," Sharla teased.

"Oh, gods have mercy..." Gideon mumbled. His ears splayed out to the sides as a grimace adorned his face.

Both Sharla and Judy giggled.

"Actually," Judy said with emphasis, "I mostly was telling her the whole story about the missing mammal's case. There were a lot of things that happened that aren't general knowledge."

"Huh?" Gideon said, his ears perking up, "Oh! Ya mean that whole thing with the night howlers'n all. Well, heck, I woulda liked t'hear all that!"

Sharla patted Gideon's arm, "Don't worry baby," she said, "I'll tell ya all about it later. "

Gideon grunted. "Well, alright then," he said and smiled down at Sharla before leaning down to give her a little smooch. Judy couldn't help but notice that Gideon's light peck had turned into something quite a bit more.

She turned away from the couple, pretending to find the wood of the gazebo suddenly much more interesting. That pang of longing shot through her again. _What is taking Nick so long?_ she wondered, and bit her bottom lip as she rose up on her feet to scan around. Not finding Nick anywhere, she distracted herself by watching the preparations going on. Norris, somehow having become the group's leader at some point over the last few years, was pointing and gesturing, plugging in cables, and stopping to talk to one another of the others.

She looked back to Gideon and Sharla. They had finally stopped with the very public display of affection. Gideon had a dopey grin on his muzzle. Sharla saw Judy's look, and grinned wide while waggling her eyebrows up and down.

Judy stuck her tongue out, and Sharla laughed.

"Speakin' of kissin' foxes," her friend said, "Where is that fox of yers? He's takin' his time."

Judy turned back and scanned the veranda again, still no Nick. "I dunno." She blinked and rubbed the back of a paw over her still slightly running nose and let out a little hickup. "I think I might go-"

"There he is!" Gideon said and raised an arm to point.

Judy squinted in the dim light, but it was easy enough to see Nick's silhouette against the brighter interior as the front door closed.

"Uh," Gideon said as he peered, his night vision considerably better than anyone else save for Nick's, "He looks mighty upset."

* * *

Nick hummed to himself as he made he way down the dim hallway towards Judy's room. He was having a really good time. Everything was still working out much better than he could have imagined, and it had been quite a while since he could just relax and enjoy himself. He was starting to realize his feelings for Judy, and how he had been repressing them for so long, had been causing a lot of stress. Now that it was finally settled, and settled in the best way possible as far as he was concerned, life was... good. Really, _really_ good.

The smile he had been wearing nearly all night split into a toothy grin as he opened the door to Judy's room and ducked in. He picked up his guitar case and paused for a moment to pull his phone out. He flipped through various notices, whistling a jaunty tune, looking for messages or anything important. Finding nothing of interest, he headed out, but stopped as he closed the door. His bladder was starting to make it status known. Alcohol was an excellent diuretic, and between the wine at dinner and the drinks outside it was time for pit stop.

He turned and made his way to the bathroom-slash-locker room just a few doors down. He was thankfully alone. He didn't know why, but the thought of going while one of Judy's family was in there just seemed wrong. He honestly didn't know how they could stand this whole shared bathroom thing; it would have drove him crazy.

He propped up his guitar against the wall and stared at the narrow, rabbit-sized stalls with his paws on his hips. "Okay..." he grumbled. He turned himself half sideways, wiggling his chest to squeeze in.

After he finished, he stopped by the sinks to wash his paws and inspect himself in the mirror. He used his wet paws to smooth down the fur on his muzzle and head, and leaned closer to his reflection, looking himself over. _Damn_ , _if I don't look good,_ he thought. He momentarily let his vanity get the better of him; all those months at the academy had left him looking better than he ever remembered. His shoulders were wider, his waist narrower, his arms more muscular. He leaned forward and curled his lips. He sucked air through his teeth and licked his tongue up over one fang then the other as he examined them.

"When you got it, you got it, you handsome devil," he said smugly and winked at himself.

He heard the door open. This was fine with him now since he was just leaving anyway. He leaned back up, turned, and froze.

"Hey, hey, mister fox," Katherine said as the door swung closed behind her.

The fur along Nick's spine rose as he froze into inaction. It wasn't just that it was Katherine, it was also what she had said. How she had said it... or rather _sung_ it.

Katherine took another couple of steps as she looked Nick up and down. "What are you doing in the garden again? Are you going to take me home to your den?" she sang.

Nick couldn't make himself move. The dream from his nap on the porch confirmed for him that Katherine got under his skin, but what bothered him more was the damn song. _Perhaps she's just singing it and doesn't actually know_... he hoped.

"You know," Katherine said as she stopped a few feet away, and finally moved her eyes up to meet Nick's, "I thought you looked familiar when I saw you at the train station." She cocked her head to the side and let her eyes wander down Nick's front.

The look gave Nick the distinct feeling of being mentally undressed. Again.

"At first, I thought it was just because I saw you on the TV or the net... something to do with Judy or the missing preds." She smiled wide then and she bit her bottom lip as her eyes turned slowly back up to Nicks, "But then I remembered that song. Or more specifically, that music video for that song. You know the one I'm talking about, don't you? _Mister Fox_." She took another step forward.

Nick swallowed and stepped back. _Okay... so she does know._ "I don't kn-" Nick started, but Katherine spoke over him.

"I wonder if Judy knows?" she asked.

Nick's mouth hung open for a moment as his mind raced before snapping shut. It wasn't so much that he would mind _that_ much if Judy found out... well, he did or at least his pride did, but it was more who she would tell. He knew Judy well enough that it would not stay a secret for long. Not something like this. If this got out to anyone at the precinct he would never live it down. _Ever_. He would spend his career as 'Mister Fox'. Visions swam through his mind: Birthday cakes with lyrics on them. Radio prank calls asking him what he was doing in the garden again. Rookies being taken aside and asked 'you remember that one song?'. His photo in the system replaced with a screenshot of the video. It would _never_ end.

What was even more grating is that he only had the most vague of memories of that day. The whole thing had been shortly after his mother had died, and he had been on an epic days long bender of guilt and misery. He had woken up who knows how much time later with bunch of money in his pocket, and no idea where he had gotten it. The first time he had any idea of what he had done was when some friend called him to ask if it was him in 'that rabbit music video' weeks later. Bits and pieces had come back to him over the years, but he wasn't sure if those were real memories or just made up ones from having watched the video too many times.

Nick shook himself. "Of course she does," he said in answer to the question while trying to sound convincing, but his voice cracking put an end to that. He also realized by even saying that he had basically just admitted that, yes, it was him in that music video.

"Oh?" Katherine said and pulled a smartphone out of her pocket and started tapping away. "Well then, you won't mind if I send her a little mess-" she said, but Nick raised a paw to stop her.

"Okay, okay, okay!" he said holding his paws up in surrender. He sighed, "What do you want, Katherine?" He was afraid he already knew.

Katherine stopped her tapping and looked up with a smile. "You remembered my name, how sweet," she said and put the phone away. "I don't want much," she continued with her voice an almost feline purr. "Just a little kiss? Satisfy a doe's curiosity? It'll be our little secret." She said and licked her lips. One paw then slid to tug her shirt up, starting to expose her belly. "Or, " she said while the thumb of the other paw hooked into her shorts pulled them down far enough to start exposing her bare hips, inching closer to becoming indecent, "If you want a little more, I think we have time. My sisters are guarding the door..."

Nick gulped. He tried to resist, he really did, but gods help him his eyes looked down for a second before quickly looking away. Katherine had clearly put some thought into this. _She's been waiting all night to get me alone somewhere like this,_ he thought.. He felt his skin crawl under his fur, and the room felt several degrees warmer. He tried to tell himself it was really the mystery inherent to her fur and eyes that did it. She was physically similar to Judy, but his eyes drifted to the way her tan fur faded into that smokey dark, almost black brown on her face, muzzle, and down her chest. That, coupled with those piercing eyes — greener than his — really made one heck of a combination, he thought. Nick figured Katherine rarely had a hard time getting male attention, and silently fumed that she'd set her sights on him.

He tried to keep his thoughts on track of how to free himself from her web, but his eyes betrayed him. He was as male as the next guy, but male brains would think about things like that on their own regardless of what their owners said, let alone when out right propositioned. So he _was_ thinking about it. Just not... _seriously_ thinking about it.

He gave himself a mental shake. _Okay, he thought, enough of this._ The initial shock was starting to wear off. Now he was getting angry. _Is she for real?_ he thought and started to edge around her to grab his guitar case.

"You're a real piece of work, rabbit," he said as he turned back to face her only to find her right in front of him and well inside his personal space. He hurriedly backed up towards the door with Katherine following with that damn smile on her face. He reached behind himself groping for where the door handle should be, and turned it when he found it. "Look, just because you're pretty," he said as he started quickly backing out, "You think-" His words were cut off when his vision erupted in stars, and pain exploded from the back of his head.

Time seemed to stop. For what seemed like an eternity, he didn't know where he was, or even who he was. Later he would realize it was no more than a second or two, but right now all he could think about was the pain radiating out from behind his ears. A paw had instinctively reached up to cradle the area as reality started to reassemble itself.

Something warm was pressing against his muzzle. _Kissing... kissing_ , he thought, _I'm kissing... who? Judy?_ Then, everything snapped back into clear, if painful, focus. His eyes snapped open to see Katherine's equally surprised eyes looking back at him. Katherine took a sight hop back as he stumbled back through the door and managed not to brain himself again more out of sheer luck than deliberate action.

"Oh, um," Katherine stammered, "I, uh..."

Nick rubbed the back of his head and winced. He pulled his paw forward, checking to see if there was any blood. There wasn't he was thankful to see. That too was luck. He squinted up at the door frame, seeing it was all rounded and beveled with no sharp edges. If this had been your standard door frame he was pretty sure he would be bleeding all over the place right now. He wondered if he had a concussion, though. He didn't think so. He had never had a real concussion before so he wasn't certain. The alcohol from earlier still freely flowed through his veins, but the sudden adrenaline rush helped clear his mind. His vision wasn't doubled or anything... wasn't that one of the symptoms? Regardless, it gods damned it _hurt_.

The same gaggle of does Katherine had been surrounded by earlier were all standing there with shocked expressions on their faces. He turned back to Katherine and glared at her. Much to Nick's astonishment she actually seemed be caught off guard. Her bluff, painfully for Nick, had been called.

Katherine's expression turned from one of embarrassment to fear as her eyes went wide and she took another step back. This was short lived, however, and her face softened into one of intrigue. A purr rose from her throat as her eyes smoldered, half-lidded, directly at Nick.

Nick blinked, then his paw shot from rubbing the back of his head to cover his muzzle… which had definitely started to snarl and growl. To the side, he heard several similar sounds, and his head whipped around. That was a mistake, he realized, as the world tilted dangerously before stabilizing, but the gaggle of sisters stood there. Half of them mirrored Katherine, while the other half looked panic-stricken and ready to bolt.

He pulled his expression under control and stopped the unbidden growl. His ears splayed out, and he buried his embarrassment. Here he was, in the middle of a few hundred rabbits, growling and snarling at a bunch of them.

He turned back to Katherine, slowly this time, and glared at her. His paw continued to rub the back of his head. Katherine and pulled herself back under control as well and now seemed unphased, and entirely unapologetic. Nick's lips twitched. Now he _wanted_ to snarl, oh how he wanted to snarl, but given the reaction that had gotten that would not help matters _at all_. He opened his mouth to say something, but snapped it shut a couple of seconds later. Between the pain and shock his normally quick mind was coming up blank for anything good to say. He glared at her for one more second before abruptly turning and walking away.

"If it makes you feel any better, you sort of stumbled into me," Katherine said as Nick left. "So don't go getting all mopey. Guilt isn't a good look on you, _Mister Fox_."

Nick breathed deeply, shook his head, and continued walking.

The pain still preoccupied his thoughts as he walked. _Damn, that smarts,_ he thought to himself as his finger pads gently massaged his scalp in a fruitless attempt to soothe the throbbing. . His mind wandered to what would have happened if he had actually managed to knock himself out. "I wonder if she'd have actually gone for help…" he muttered to himself. "Nah, probably just would have molested me. Crazy doe…" One thing was sure; he was going to have one heck of a lump back there.

His ears cocked back as he heard conversation starting up behind him.

"So...?" one voice asked, "How was it?"

There was a pause, then Katherine's voice.

"Meh."

 _Meh_? Nick thought with growing outrage, _MEH?_ He spun around, continuing to walk backward. The group was just out of sight around the bend, but he yelled back, "Don't flatter yourself, sweetheart!"

The chatter abruptly cut off, but was quickly followed by tittering giggles.

Nick ground his teeth. He spun back around, nearly at the main hallway, but just as he did, something hard glanced off the side of his head and smacked into his shoulder. Nick yelped more in surprise than pain. The blow had been weak, and without much speed behind it.

"Fox!" called out the stooped, and clearly ancient rabbit blocking his way. "Fox in the burrow!" the gravely, aged voice called out again as the cane lifted up into the air once more, "To arms! To arms!"

"Hey!" Nick yelped again and held his guitar case up automatically to fend off the next feeble blow. The soft case offered little protection, and his poor guitar inside made a plaintive, hollow 'twong!' noise. "Cut it ou-" he started but down came the cane again forcing Nick to hop back. "Stoppit!" he demanded, but the geriatric rabbit advanced on him. _He's brave. I'll give him that_ , Nick thought with growing irritation. This had to be the dreaded 'Poppop' he had heard mentioned so many times.

"Git outta here you varmint!" Poppop yelled as he brought the cane down again.

Nick once again had to hold up his guitar case to fend off the cane. He winced at the noise from his guitar inside. The case was padded to fend off minor bumps and thumps, so he wasn't too worried about the instrument, but still, this was getting to be all too much.

"Out! Git! You vagrant! You thief!" Poppop yelled hoarsely, already panting from the exertion.

"Poppop!" one of the group from back down the hall called, "No!"

Poppop raised the cane up again, but this time Nick wasn't having it. He was already angry, in pain, and more than a little drunk. His patience was at an end.

As the cane came down Nick snapped an arm out and snatched it out of the air. He jerked it out of the elderly rabbit's grasp, making Poppop stumble forward uneasily. Gasps and squeaks of alarm echoed through the hall, coupled with the sound of rushing feet.

For a second, Nick was afraid the old rabbit would fall flat on his face, but Poppop seemed to pull from reserves Nick didn't know he had and remained standing, if just barely.

The squeaks and yelps of alarm sounded much closer now.

Nick threw the cane down to the floor behind him. "Cut it out, you crazy old buck!" he barked. He was unable to stop his lips from curling over his teeth once again. Nick had to give Poppop credit — he stood his ground and glared back at him just as the gaggle of Judy's sisters rushed up and surrounded the old rabbit.

"Popop!" one of them said. Nick vaguely remembered her name started with a K, "Stop it! Calm down! This is Nick! Judy's boyfriend! He's a police officer too!"

Nick closed his eyes and sighed. "You could have left the boyfriend part out, you know."

"What!" Poppop explained, "Trudy's boyfriend?!"

The group groaned in unison. One of the others said, "Not Trudy! Judy! The one who went to Zootopia to join the police?"

"I thought she got eaten?" Poppop said. His eyes flicked between Nick and his granddaughters in confusion.

There was another groan with many sighs and pairs of rolling eyes.

"We're so sorry, Nick," one of the sisters said and looked back to Poppop. "No, Poppop," she said slowly and calmly, in the voice Nick thought was reserved for children, and in this case the befuddled elderly, "She moved to Zootopia to join the police force? That's' where she met Nick here? She was on on the T.V and everything, remember?"

One of the others picked up the cane and put it in Poppop's paw, who was glaring at Nick again.

"Judy's sleepin' with a fox!" he exclaimed in disgust. "Not in this burrow she's not!" he continued and started raising the cane again, "Traitorous! Blasphemous!"

"Well, too late for that, you old codger. I think we'll just keep on blaspheming," Nick said with vindictive smugness as he opened his eyes.

"Nick!" hissed the doe who who had handed Poppop the cane back, and now had to reach out to stop the old rabbit from raising the cane again as he was clearly intent on continuing to have a go at Nick.

Nick ground his teeth some more, and a low growl rumbled from his throat unbidden. He clamped down on it and forced his ears up. Well, up enough so they weren't completely flat against his head, but even that was a struggle. Giving Judy's sisters a little scare was one thing, but growling and snarling at Poppop would be petty at best, so he settled for a glare back at the hateful rabbit. He moved his gaze to each of the wide eyed sisters. His head snapped around to look back down the hall when motion caught his eye. Katherine stood a little ways away watching with what looked like mild amusement. She shrugged with that same infuriating smug smile. The irony of that smile directed his way for a change was lost on him right now. He growled again, unable to help it, and looked back and forth. The growls had caught everyone's attention.

"You rabbits are all crazy!" he finally barked. He turned and headed around the corner to the door. "Bonkers! Nuts!" he continued to rant while lifting his arms up, guitar and all, with voice getting louder with each word. "Bereft of your faculties! Insane!" he yelled and spun around to shout the final words down the hall at the top of his lungs, "Completely… out.. of your… gods-damned minds!" He stood there for heavy, pregnant seconds, panting. The silence in the burrow was almost total. Even the TV the main room had apparently been muted. A rabbit poked his or her alert-eared head out of one of the side passages down the hall.

"This is why foxes have small litters," he grumbled to himself. He spun back around and stomped to the door snarling as he fought with stupid air pressure that made it hard to turn the handle. "Seriously! Whose stupid design idea was this?" he ranted to himself as the door finally popped open.

The inrush of air buffeted him; heavy with the scent of rabbits even more than the inside was, and stepped out. He strained and pulled the door close with one paw and paused. Ignoring everyone around him he calmed his expression even if he wasn't feeling the least bit calm. He ran a paw over his head to again feel at the tender, growing lump there.

He realized he was going to have to tell Judy about all this. Mostly about that tame 'kiss' that Katherine had accidentally gotten out of him. Keeping it quiet wasn't going to work. In the densely populated burrow, if Katherine didn't tell Judy herself, someone would and quickly. If she didn't hear it from him first... well, he was pretty sure it would not go well for him.

He scanned around, looking for Judy. The veranda had been vacated by most of the rabbits as the gazebo was taken over by Norris and other band members setting up various instruments and equipment.

He suddenly recognized Stu approaching him only a few feet away.

"G'night, Nick. This old buck is done for the night! " Stu said through a yawn as he shuffled past. He actually patted Nick on the arm.

"Uh, um," Nick said, taken aback at the brief familiarly, "Good night, uh, Stu." Nick rubbed the back of his head and turned slightly as he watched Stu curse and fight with the door himself before disappearing inside.

Nick stood there for a moment, looking around for a moment before spotting Norris squatting in front of an amplifier near the gazebo. He walked down the veranda, scooting around various other band members. Several of them gave Nick double takes when they saw his expression.

"Hey, Nick!" Norris said as he stood up just as Nick arrived. He too saw the darkness on Nick's face and cocked an eyebrow and ear. "What happened to you?"

Nick grunted and set his guitar down, leaning it against the railing. "That obvious, is it?"

"Uh," Norris said, looking at Nick critically, "It looks like someone pissed in your cornflakes, so yeah, pretty obvious."

Nick grunted again and sighed. "Katherine and Poppop is what happened." Someone behind him let out a snorting laugh, and Norris winced.

Nick grumbled and turned his head to say back, "Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, fluffball. There's a devil in the burrow, haven't you heard? Red fur and full of teeth?" He curled his lips back to display his canines to Norris and the bandmates.

"I... uh, won't ask. Don't really need to," Norris said, "You want to bow out? It's okay if you do."

Nick shook his head and winced, paw going up to rub again. Now that he was back in a place of relative normality, guilt over growling as starting to settle in the pit of his stomach. "No, no, I'm good," he reassured, "I've actually been really looking forward to this. I just, uh, need to go talk to Judy for a second before the rumor train pulls in."

Both Norris's eyebrows went up. "She ambushed you, didn't she?"

"I thought you said you weren't asking?" Nick muttered.

"Hey, I just know my sister, that's all," Norris said holding his paws up.

Nick sighed. "Yes. Yes she did," he admitted. There were some more chuckles around them and hushed whispering.

"And did you do... anything?" Norris asked.

Nick took a moment to decide on what the answer to that. He finally settled on, "Not... intentionally."

One of Norris' eyebrows quirked again. "Ooookay," he said, "Well, we're still going to be setting up for a few minutes so you got time."

Nick nodded. "Alright," he said, "Hey, have you seen Judy by any chance?"

"Uhh," Norris said and stood up on his toes. It gave the rabbit quite a bit of extra height as he looked around. "Yeah," he said, "I thought I saw her with... yup! There she is!" Norris pointed, and Nick followed the outstretched arm.

Nick squinted, but his eyes were adjusted enough now. He spotted Gideon first. The taller fox hard to miss, but saw Judy standing next to him and looking in his direction. Gideon raised a paw and waved, followed by Judy. He realized Sharla was there too, but the black wooled sheep was nearly impossible to see in the darkness even with his night vision. He raised a paw to wave back. "Thanks," he said to Norris and headed for the gazebo stairs, "I'll be back in a few... hopefully with my limbs and head still attached."

"Good luck!" Norris chuckled and turned to go fiddle with cables again.

* * *

As usual a big thanks to my editors. This took a little longer than the week I originally expected - had to do some re-writing due to some Katherine related issues :P Apparently she was a bit _too_ molesty

And of course credit to The Weaver for Carrot Pop comic from where the whole "Mister Fox" thing comes from - if you've not seen it then go find it. :)


	22. Chapter 22 - Fire and Frying Pans

Judy peered at Nick as he stood in the dim lighting. Despite her lack of any night vision, she could tell Nick looked upset just how his form seemed hunched and tense. That, and he appeared to be wincing as he rubbed the back of his head.

Her eyes narrowed. _What is going on?_ she wondered as she raised herself up onto her tip toes giving her several more inches of height.

She watched as her dad slowly plodded past Nick and gave him a fatherly pat on the arm before wrestling past the door to disappear inside.

A smile crept across her muzzle. Nick and her dad really seemed to hit it off at dinner. _Even mom warmed up,_ she thought, although she wasn't sure how much thawing had been due to the wine.

Nick began walking down the veranda to talk with Norris. Judy still struggled to make out the details. She was more than a keen observer, however, and Nick certainly seemed upset about something by his posture and cant of his ears. She was getting ready to excuse herself to go see what was up when Norris pointed right at her, and Nick followed the line to look in their direction.

Gideon had the forethought to raise an arm and Nick zeroed in on them. Judy raised to wave a paw as well followed by Sharla.

"Here he comes," Gideon said as Nick said something to Norris and headed down the gazebo stairs.

Judy make a squeak as she teetered to the side as her normally solid balance seemed to desert her. Her arms shot out and windmilled, but she steadied as one of Sharla's hands gripped her one flailing arm.

"Whoa there, Judy!" Sharla giggled, "You 'aight, there?"

Judy blinked as the world slowly settled. "Uh," I she said uncertainly, "I think so… just lost my balance is all."

"That shine goin' right to yer brain, huh?" Sharla said with a mischievous tone.

"I dun told you, Sharla!" Gideon groused.

"I'm fine!" Judy said with as much authority as she could muster, and tugged her t-shirt down, but did plant her feet a bit farther apart… just in case.

Nick threaded his way through the crowd and put on what Judy knew was a patently false smile as he walked up.

"I see you found our two missing better halves," he said to the other fox.

Gideon harrumphed and nodded at the burrow, "Ya know where I found em? Sittin' up on top of the burrow!"

Sharla raspberried Gideon. "You didn't find nothin', Gid. If I hadn't called down t'ya, you would still be out there fumblin' around in the dark!"

Judy giggled at the image. She didn't know why it was so funny.

Nick gave her an appraising look then shook his head. "Hey, well, the music's about to start, but I have to borrow Judy for a minute," he said and looked right at her, "Can we go somewhere? I need talk to you in private."

She narrowed her eyes. "What did you do, Wilde?" she asked with suspicion in her voice.

Nick put his paws on his hips. "Why do I have to have 'done something?'" he asked. Despite his best efforts, Judy could tell he _had_ done something.

"Because," Judy said, "I know you better than you think."

Nick looked heavenward briefly and muttered something under his breath Judy couldn't catch. He stepped closer and put a paw on Judy's shoulder then gave Gideon and Sharla a smarmy smile. "Excuse us just a minute, won't you?" he said as he turned Judy by the shoulder to start hustling her out into the dark.

"Nick!" she hissed, leaning back and resisting the 'guiding' at first, but reluctantly gave in after a few seconds, "What is this about? What did you do?" A number of increasingly outrageous fox-themed shenanigans began to populate her mind.

"Nothing!" Nick said a bit too quickly, "Why am I immediately the one in the wrong? Besides… I mean, I... look, it wasn't my fault!"

She finally planted her feet and squirmed around to face him. " _What_ wasn't your fault?" she demanded.

Nick opened his muzzle but quickly closed it. A paw moved up to rub paw at the back of his neck at pull at the fur.

 _Oh, he's done something_ , Judy thought, eyes narrowing again. "Nick..." she said, voice carrying an edge.

Nick closed his eyes and took a big breath. "I... may have, um, accidentally kissed Katherine. Kind of… sort of."

"You what?!" she barked as outrage and betrayal welled up instantly. She had thought of many things, but this was not one of them.

"Hush! Shhh, shh!" Nick hissed as a paw snapped out to clamp her muzzle closed with thumb and forefinger while the other waved comically at her.

Her own arm whipped up, grabbed Nick by the wrist, applied pressure, and started to twist in a move she had practiced in the academy and had put into use on the streets a few times.

Nick's fingers sprung open, and he began to turn as she used the wrist lock on him to its full effect.

"Ow... ow ow ow!" Nick said in a whisper. He was apparently trying not to draw attention to them, but doing a poor job of it since plenty were already watching with erect ear interest; including Gideon and Sharla.

"C'mon," Nick pleaded as he started to kneel down as Judy's fingers dug into the pressure point, "Let me explain before you break something!"

Her jaw clenched, but she opened her paw and let Nick go. She had not really meant to hurt him, but her temper had just flared for some reason. She blamed it on her issues with jealousy… and perhaps a bit on that moonshine. "Start explaining, and it better be good, mister," she warned.

Nick cradled his wrist to his chest as he massaged it and stared at her. "Seriously, you are freakishly strong for being so small," he said attempting levity. It didn't work.

Judy's eyes widened, and her pupils contracted to points.

Seeing that Nick held up his paws and started quickly explaining in hushed tones. As the story unfolded, Judy's anger shifted away from Nick. Instead of glaring at him her gaze shifted off to the side and went distant. The building anger started settling on Katherine instead.

"I am going to... kill her!" Judy growled through her teeth, and started looking around as Nick finished.

Nick, seeing her expression, deliberately stood in her way as she started towards the burrow and pulled her up short as he put a paw on her shoulder.

"Now just hold on, Fluff," he said, "You've used up your one beat-the-stuffing-out-of-someone for the day."

"Someone needs to teach her a lesson!" Judy seethed, grinding her teeth. Suggestive looks and words were one thing, but actually propositioning Nick? _In her own burrow?_

"And you're going to... what?" Nick asked trying to sound reasonable, "Go beat her up? Go yell at her? What?"

She paused. The words and mayhem that her mind had started planning really registered. Nick had a point, as much as she was loathe to admit it. It was a good thing Katherine was not in sight, because if she was, Judy wasn't sure she would be able to restrain herself.

Nick visibly relaxed and pulled his paw back when she didn't immediately run off to track her sister down for a thrashing, regardless of how well deserved it felt right now.

"I…" Judy started as she tried to think of something without much luck, "I… but… well I can't just let her get away with that!"

"That may be," he said, wry amusement edging into his voice, "But helping you dig a shallow grave is not on my bucket list."

Her anger began to cool as she snorted out a laugh. "What?" she asked, "I wasn't planning on actually killing my sister, Nick."

Nick grinned. "I know, but it made you laugh," he said.

Judy smiled wanly as the anger started to drain, and sighed. "Your ability to do that is one of your few redeeming qualities," she said.

Nick scoffed. "I have many redeeming qualities, I'll have you know."

Judy giggled as she looked up at her fox. _My handsome fox,_ she thought. She was still seething, but the anger seemed to be flowing out of her as fast as it had bloomed. The fact Nick told her right away and didn't try to hide it made her feel much better. That did beg a question, however. She narrowed her eyes and asked, "Well, did you like it?"

"Did I like-" Nick started then rolled his eyes, "I was a little busy wondering where all the pretty sparkling lights came from!"

She grinned up at Nick, her mood flipping in an instant. Without warning, she reached up to grab him by the front of his shirt and pulled him down into a kiss of her own.

"Nmmmm," Nick hummed as his ears splayed out and eyes went unfocused. A number of good natured laughs, hoots, and calls came from those watching.

"You go, Judy!" Sharla called.

She broke the kiss and giggled, but didn't let Nick go as she pressed her nose against his. "I love that I have that effect on you," she said huskily and rubbed her muzzle against his. She rose up onto her toes and whispered into his ear, "Let's go back to my room."

Nick blinked. "Um," He said, "I… uh, was going to play with the band," he said in a dazed and distracted voice.

Judy rolled her eyes and pushed Nick away. "Gah," she huffed, "Way to spoil the moment, Casanova."

Nick shook his head to clear his thoughts. He stood up and put his paws on his hips, peering down at her. "What is up with you?" he asked, "You've gone from wanting to kill me — my wrist still hurts, I'll have you know — to what I am sure were ideas visiting bloody mayhem on Katherine, and now want to..." He stopped and narrowed his eyes, nose wiggling. "Wait a minute..." he said and smacked his lips. He ducked down and rapidly snuffled around Judy's muzzle.

Judy laughed. "What are you doing?" she giggled and pushed Nick away, but he was already standing back up.

Nick turned an accusing glare at Gideon. "Gideon!" he called, "I told you not to give her any of that rot gut!"

Gideon's ears splayed. He actually seemed offended at the calling his moonshine 'rot gut.' "I-I-didn't-" he started, but Sharla spoke over him.

"It ain't his fault, Nick!" she said, "I gave it t'her!"

"I tried t'stop her," Gideon said, "But when I said you tol' me not t'give her any... well, I think that had the opposite effect of what you wanted."

Nick pulled a paw down over his eyes and muzzle then looked down at Judy. "Well, that explains a lot. I swear, I'm going to start using reverse psychology on you. That, and arrange an intervention for half this town," he said mostly to himself. He rubbed his wrist some more. "And you're a mean drunk, Judy Hopps."

"What? I'm not that drunk!" she protested then added, "And I'm not mean!"

"You are too. You beat up Bill - although he was asking for it-, wanted to murder Katherine," Nick said ticking off items on his fingers, "And put me, your erstwhile, doting, loving, and, I might add, extremely good looking boyfriend in a very painful wrist lock." He shook his head. "I can see it now, me walking into the bullpen... arm in a sling... muzzle swollen... having to make up a story about how I walked into a door or fell down the stairs when it was really you beating me for not having dinner ready."

Judy snort-giggled at the idea, but said, "Domestic abuse isn't a joke, Nick."

"Who said I was joking?" Nick said with an arched eyebrow, and Judy stuck her tongue out at him.

Nick rolled his eyes. "Seriously, keep away from that stuff. I'm really starting to think you and alcohol are not a good combination. And you weigh what, five pounds?"

"Oh, har har."

"I'm serious!" Nick said with a glare.

Judy held her paws up in surrender. "Okay, okay!" she said and sighed, "But I feel fine, Nick really!"

Nick arched an eyebrow. "Spoken like a true drunk. That's why you're weaving back and forth, huh?"

She blinked. Weaving? She wasn't weaving. Was she? "No... no, I'm not!" she protested as the world tilted ever so slightly.

Nick slowly arched an eyebrow.

She put a fist over her mouth and cleared her throat as she focused. Hard. Or tried to. Everything did seem kind of... far away? Like it was last night actually, but somehow different. It was hard to describe, but she felt fine. She had felt fine last night for that matter. Sure, she felt pretty gross when she woke up, so she would just have to remember to drink a lot of water before bed and she would be fine. She was ok. Everything was ok.

Then the world shifted just a few inches to the left, and had to to admit she should probably take it easy. Everything was well in paw, though, but she relented to sooth Nick's apparent concern. He was just looking out for her, after all, and that was sweet of him, she thought.

She held her paws up again, "You win. Perhaps I've... had a bit too much tonight. But I really do feel fine."

Nick sighed. "Just keep to the non-alcoholic drinks, will you?"

"Okay, okay," she said again. She looked up feeling abashed. "Um, are... are we good?"

Nick's expression softened. "Yeah, Carrots. We're good."

Judy relaxed. Her ears came up as things previously mentioned finally registered. "Um, how's your head?" she asked.

Nick reached back to feel the nice lump wincing a little. "Why, I didn't think you cared. Thank you for asking," he said sarcastically. "Sore, but I'll live."

Judy smiled wickedly, ignoring the sarcastic jab. She scooted up to him and pressed herself against his front as a different kind of heat bloomed in her belly. "I'll kiss it better if you want, and a few other things."

"Huh," Nick said and lightly rubbed his paws down her arms, "Mean _and_ horny when you've had a few.."

Judy snorted and rolled her eyes, pushing herself back, "You sure know how to make a doe feel wanted," she said throwing the sarcasm back at him.

It was Nick's turn to stick his tongue out at her, which made her giggle. Nick smiled softly in return and looked up over her head to the Burrow where everyone was still milling around as the setup continued.

"Oh," he said distractedly, "Pop-pop attacked me with his cane, too. Luckily he's older than dirt, and hits like a bunny... present company excluded."

"What?!" Judy exclaimed then groaned. She leaned her head back and letting her ears and arms droop, "I was trying to avoid him!"

"I can see why," Nick said dryly, "A real charmer, that guy. Had plenty to say about foxes."

Judy winced. "Er, sorry about him. You okay?"

Nick looked down briefly and winked. "I'm fine. Believe it or not, Katherine's little gang saved me from him. Or him from me." He hesitated for a moment, "I may have been... growling a bit."

"Well, that just sounds sexy," Judy said, trying not to giggle.

"You are so drunk," Nick said, shaking his head, "But yes. I've dealt with worse in my day."

Judy sighed. "He's always been that way for as long as I can remember. Something about a feud with the Greys when he was a kit or something."

Nick snorted and started to chuckle, shaking his head.

"What?" Judy asked.

Nick shrugged. "It's been a very strange day, Carrots."

Judy smirked. "Well, you're not wrong there."

Nick, still grinning, returned to looking up at the setup going on. "This is more than a little jam session they're planning, huh?"

Judy ignored that for a moment, eyeing Nick instead as her focus again shifted back to more contemplation of the Nick-without-clothes kind. She hummed and bit her bottom lip the way Nick said he liked.

Nick caught the look, shook his head as he chuckled. He stepped up beside her and put an arm around her shoulders to snug her against his side, and she pressed into him, letting an arm slip across his lower back while his dropped over her far shoulder.

She turned her head to follow Nick's gaze to activity at the front of the burrow. "They do seem to be pulling out all the stops tonight, " she said as she leaned into Nick, enjoying his warmth and closeness, "They don't put on this big a production often, it's usually just a pawful of them."

"I was wondering. I've been looking forward to playing with them. It's been forever since I really played with anyone."

"So, you're still planning on playing?" Judy said and grinned as she cuddled against Nick and they started walking back to Gideon and Sharla. "I'll put that offer of going back to my room on the table again?" she said hopefully. Even after this afternoon, that kiss had her libido knocking at her door, and she _really_ wanted Nick to open it.

Nick snorted but nodded. "Indeed I am," he said, "Honestly, I'm still kind of worn out from earlier."

She grunted in frustration and waved a paw down her front, "If you don't want any of this, then fine."

"Now, let's not be hasty here," Nick said hurriedly, and snuggled her tight against him making her laugh, "But I really do want to play. Gotta impress you somehow."

Judy smiled. "You impress me plenty," she said and rubbed her head against his arm again. She really was feeling uncharacteristically pent up, even for a rabbit. She didn't know if it was the drink or something else, but she was having a hard time not dragging Nick off right here and now. She made a mental note to ask Sharla to get her some of Gideon's hooch later. _Might come in handy for a few fun nights later,_ she thought.

"Okay, fine," she said, "But as soon as you're done..."

Nick grinned. "You don't have to tell me twice, Fluff," he said then stifled a yawn, "Just… mmm take it easy on me, okay? Not even sure sure for how long I'll play. You gotta admit it's been one long day. Heck, it's been a long week. I'm beat, figuratively and literally. How about I dazzle you with my musical prowess, and we can have impressed rabbit groupie sex afterwards?"

Judy giggled and snuggled herself tightly against Nick's side. "Deal," she said.

"Everythin' ok?" Gideon asked as they walked back up to him and Sharla.

Both Judy and Nick nodded.

"Yes," Judy said then gave a Sharla a knowing look. "Katherine," she said as if that explained everything.

Sharla's eyebrows went up. She pointed a finger at Nick, and Judy nodded.

"I guess that answers the question if she is she's still an intolerable slut, then," Sharla said.

"Yup," Judy said with an extra pop of air on the 'p'.

"K-k-katherine?" Gideon said, sounding suddenly wary as he looked around, "G-green eyes, dark fur on her face?"

Sharla turned in Gideon's arms and looked up at him with narrowed eyes. "She been tryin' t'put the moves on you or somethin'?"

Gideon's ears splayed out. "N-n-no," he said, not meeting the gaze.

"Gideon Grey," Sharla said in the voice wives used for lying husbands and children, "Don't you dare lie t'me!"

Gideon held up a paw. "I s-swear!" he said, "She just, uh, ya know, been givin' me the eye when she's at the s-stand n'all, and... um..."

"'And um' what?" Sharla pressed.

"Well," Gideon said, still not making eye contact, and ran a paw through his head fur, "She, uh, she's been in to the shop a few times when yer not there bein' all l-lewd n'suggestive n'such." He sighed heavily. "She came in'ta the shop a couple'a weeks ago with a red pawpsicle from Betty's ice cream shop next door."

He paused, a paw reaching up to tug at the collar of his white t-shirt. "I-I swear," he said, eyes going distant, "She wasn't so much eatin' it as she was makin' love to it. No offense Judy, but your sister kinda scares me."

"Thank you!" Nick said with lifted paw, "I'm not the only one!"

Judy let out a weary chuckle, and Sharla snorted in derision.

"She does tend to have that effect on mammals," Judy said.

Sharla looked none too happy. "She better cut that out or I'm gonna give her beatin'!"

"Seems to be a common theme tonight," Nick said, and got blank looks from Gideon and Sharla. They didn't know about his little adventure or Judy's reaction to it. He was about to explain when the sounds of amplifiers being turned on, instruments being tested and tuned reached out drawing their attention.

"Yer Pa said y'all d-do this every weekend?" Gideon said, sounding impressed as he watched the ongoing setup.

"This?" Judy said half lifting an arm, "Oh, no, not really. I mean, there's always some of them playing, but they only do this kind of thing a few times a year. I guess Nick coming was unusual enough."

As if mention of it was enough a voice called out, "Nick!" Norris was up on the railing again, holding onto a pillar and peering out towards them.

"That's my cue," Nick said and smiled, disengaging himself from Judy. He started to head back to the veranda, "Ladies, get ready to throw your panties! Gideon, keep yours on!"

Judy and Sharla giggled. Gideon declined to comment.

"He's full of hisself, ain't he?" Sharla said as Nick walked off.

Judy grinned. "Oh, he's full of something alright."

* * *

Nick took the short steps back up into the gazebo in single bound. He was feeling much better now with all that out of the way. His head still throbbed, but it was tolerable. The side of his head stung a bit too where that cane had glanced off him.

"Crazy rabbits," he said under his breath as he threaded his way back to the veranda. He went to get his guitar and pulled it out along with an audio cable. It was an acoustic guitar, but it had pickup built in.

"Ooh!" he said, "I forgot I had this in here!" His ears shot up as a small multi-effects pedal came attached to the cable. _This is perfect,_ he thought. He hadn't expected to be playing with a group like this, but the small pedal opened up a lot more options. With it, he could make the acoustic sound like an electric, bass, or even a synthesizer. It didn't have a lot of options, and he had a more expensive and larger system at home, but this would do just fine.

"Had what in there?" Norris said from behind him.

Nick held up the small pedal over his shoulder. "This!" he said and stood up, "You got an amp I can jack into?"

Norris hummed and looked around before pointing to an amp nearby. "That one should do."

Nick nearly tripped over several other cables as he made his way over and plugged himself into an open port. He slung the guitar strap over his head and played a few basic chords to test the tuning.

"So," Norris said, "You get everything worked out with Judy?"

"Hmm?" Nick played with the tuning pegs, getting the strings back to an E standard. He always loosened the strings when he put the guitar away, and he never minded re-tuning the instrument. "Oh, that. Yeah, it's all good, thanks." Nick nodded around to the sizable group sporting instruments in various states of readiness. "Quite the ensemble you have here."

Norris looked around and chuckled. "Yeah. Wasn't really planning on it, but once word spread, it kind of ballooned." He turned back to Nick. "Hey, you got anything you want to play specifically? You are kind of the guest of honor, after all."

Nick thought while he quickly went through the rest of the strings. Several songs came to mind, a few very recently heard ones, but he started with, "I don't suppose you guys play much jazz, do you?"

This was met with an expression of disgust from Norris along with several groans, a retching noise, and at least two raspberries from various others around them.

"Old mammal music!" Norris said then someone else down the porch helpfully amended: "Old mammal elevator music!"

Nick put his paws on his hips, letting his guitar hang from the strap. "You are all a bunch of uncivilized cretins!" with mock outrage only to be met with jeers and comments about his 'advanced' age. It was all in good fun, and he had really expected some kind of response like that. He fell in love with jazz as a kit, a trait he picked up from what his mother always played on the radio. Unfortunately, he was usually in the minority.

"Well," Nick said, "Do you have some kind of playlist I can look at? I can follow along with whatever you all play, but the reverse might be a bit difficult."

Norris reached into his pocket and pulled out a worn sheet of paper, crisscrossed with old, haggard crease lines. "We're not really a jam band, but we can play just about anything. This is just the list of stuff most of us have at least practiced."

Nick took the folded up sheet and opened it, eyes scanning down the list. It was a pretty impressive repertoire that ranged from hard rock to folk. He knew many of them, but not all. That was fine, though, he thought. He would pick up quickly, and honestly, with all the instruments the rabbits had on stage, he was probably going to get lost in the mix most of the time. He grinned as he saw one song in particular and stabbed a claw at a song down in the W's.

"Wicked Game. We have to play that one."

Norris grinned wide. He snapped his fingers and pointed at one of the other rabbits who was holding a tenor sax as nearly as big as he was. "Told you! You own by ten bucks Lenny!"

"Bah!" Lenny said, "Fine, you win."

Nick arched an eyebrow and looked back and forth.

Norris grinned up at him. "We had a bet on if Judy made you listen to that or not yet."

Nick chuckled. "She did indeed," he said, "But it's a favorite of mine too."

"Oh, ours too," Norris assured, "We just, uh, rock it up a bit."

"Oh?" Nick said, "I think I can get behind that. One condition, though; I get to sing."

"Oooh! Romantic!" Someone said from the other side of the gazebo, which got a round of chuckles and amused head shakes.

"Okay then!" Norris said then asked, "You want to lead off with that or...?"

Nick thought for a second but shook his head. "Nah, I need to get into the groove. Just mix it in somewhere. I'll pick it up."

Norris gave two thumbs up. "Right on!" The rabbit ran over and grabbed a mic that was laying on top of one of the amps and attached it to a stand. "Hey, Mona, hit the lights!" he called.

Somewhere, Mona did as told. A long string of multicolored LED lights that had been haphazardly hung over the rafters sprung to life and began to pulse dully.

Other members of the group, at least twenty-five or thirty by Nick's count, assembled either in the gazebo or down the veranda.

Norris tapped on the mic a few times to get everyone's attention, and the murmuring crowd quieted.

Nick saw Judy and Sharla winding their way closer too with a nervous-looking Gideon pulling up the rear.

"Okay, everyone!" Norris said, "We got some new things to play tonight, some old favorites, and a special guest star!" He lifted a paw, gesturing to Nick.

Nick groaned inwardly, but put on a smile smiled and raised his paw. The crowd of rabbits hooted, clapped, and waved. He was again amazed at how accepting most of Judy's family was of him.

"Anyway, I thought we would start..." Norris started to say, but was interrupted by at least a hundred phones chirping and ringing out in the crowd.

Norris stopped talking and quickly reached into a pocket, as did just about everybody body else. Confusion and alarm started to spread among their faces.

Nick blinked. A paw went automatically to pull his own phone out of his pocket, wondering if it was some kind of public alert system going off. His phone was silent, however, so if so it wasn't a general network broadcast of some sort.

Nick looked around, "What?" he asked, "What is it?"

A song began to play from many phones.

Nick closed his eyes as the tinny sound of the all too familiar intro to 'Mister Fox.' started to play from dozens of phones. "Gods dammit, Katherine," he growled under his breath. She had done it. Not only had she done it, but she had waited until it would have the most impact.

Judy was standing just on the other side of the section of railing he was at, and as he watched her jaw went slack and her eyes went wide. "Oh my Gods, Nick! _You're_ Mister Fox!?"

Nick moved over to the mic and pulled it towards him.

"Thanks, Katherine," he growled with irritation, "Bless your black little heart."

"You're welcome, Nick!" Katherine called back from somewhere off to the left, "Sorry about your head!"

Giggles erupted from Katherine's cohort, and this was quickly followed by just about everybody else bursting into various forms of amusement. Nick bit down hard on his tongue to keep himself from saying anything else as his ears burned in embarrassment.

Norris pulled the mic back to himself. "Well!" he said over the noise with a huge grin on his muzzle as he looked at Nick, "I guess I know what song we're playing first!"

Nick sighed.

Even though 'Mister Fox' was not on the list of songs, the rabbits all seemed to know it well enough, much to Nick's chagrin. Once it started, though, Nick ran with it. He was never one to try and avoid the unavoidable once it _became_ unavoidable. Instead he made the best of it. He even did the stupid little dance from the video, despite not having any recollection of doing the actual video. He had seen the video enough times though, so he snaked, and curled around a few of the female band members as the lyrics played out. The entire thing caused a continuous wave of laughter from the crowd. Most of them even sang along.

* * *

Judy was dumbfounded. She kept looking back and forth between the Nick, and the freeze frame from the music video. It was undoubtedly Nick. A much younger Nick, and scantily clad at that. _He's so much skinnier_ , she thought absently thinking he almost looked anorexic. He had makeup on in the video as well. Dark shading around his eyes to make them stand out more along with a sprinkling of glitter that made him sparkle in the lights.

Sharla was beside herself with a mixture of disbelief and laughter, and Gideon only said one thing: "Well I'll be dipped in shit!"

Judy about lost it when Nick seemed to give in and started doing the dance as her siblings did a respectable rendition of the song with all the females supplying the lyrics. Nick even slinked around them like he did to the Carrot Pop band members in the video.

The song eventually ended, and Nick did a sweeping bow to much laughing, applause, and whistles. Judy was going to have to talk to him about this little omission later. It wasn't like she had fantasized about him when the song was out when she was a young teenager. Well... not much anyway; she had known the earworm of a song well enough, but had only seen the video a pawful of times. It was just a little mind blowing to realize she had already known Nick, in a way at least, for so long.

The song finally ended, and Judy stared at Nick as he picked his guitar back up. He saw her looking at him and just shrugged with grin.

Judy pointed a finger at him and mouthed "We're going to talk about this later!"

Nick sighed theatrically. "Fine," he mouthed back at her.

The next song started, and Judy watched with some of the same amazement she had this morning as Nick jumped right in after only listening to for a few seconds.

"He is good!" Sharla said into her ear over the music.

"Told you!" Judy said back.

Sharla hip bumped Judy as she started dancing. Most of the family was dancing at this point... if what they were doing could be called dancing. Judy shrugged and joined in. It was some catchy tune from a few years ago, and she had to admit her siblings were pretty good. Plus, she found that the music was actually making her _want_ to dance, something she couldn't say often.

Sharla kept trying to get Gideon to join in, but he seemed very much more content to simply stand back and tap his foot. A couple songs later, there was a brief hushed whispering with Sharla before he excused himself to leave the two females to themselves, and went to stand behind the crowd to listen.

Judy leaned over without taking her eyes off Nick as they did a rousing cover of Gnu Orders song 'True Faith' and asked, "Is Gideon Okay?"

Sharla nodded. "Yeah!" she said leaning over with a cocked ear, "He was real nervous 'bout comin' out here at all. Said bein' surrounded by a bunch of the rabbits he used t'bully an' beat up made him nervous!"

Judy clucked her tongue but shrugged. "Well, I guess I can see that."

Sharla poked her and Judy looked, the silver brushed metal flash in her hand. "Lookie what I got!" she said with with a big grin and waggle of her eyebrows.

Judy eyed the flask for a moment, then glanced up at Nick, but he was too lost in his playing to notice. She knew she said she wouldn't have any more, but she started rationalizing a few more sips. She nibbled her bottom lip, and glanced up at Nick again quickly.

"I promised Nick I wouldn't drink anymore!" she said over the noise

Sharla shook the flask. "Come on!" she said, voice raised over the music as well, "Ya only live once!"

Judy fought a brief internal battle. Unfortunately the side telling her not to do it was not presenting its case very well. "Well, okay," she said, "Just one more sip!" she said and took the flask. She turned away from Nick and uncapped the flask. She braced herself for the shock of it and took hesitant swig, staying careful this time to keep it small. The burn returned as she swallowed, but she was prepared for it. That didn't stop her from gasping and drawing Nick's attention.

"No!" she heard Nick yell and she hunched her shoulders. She quickly recapped the flask and pressed up against Sharla to block Nick's view. "Take it, take it!" she urged and Sharla slipped the flask into one of her own pockets, laughing.

Judy blinked her watering eyes clear and turned around, giving Nick the most innocent expression she could muster.

Nick was glaring back down at her, still managing to keep up with the song that was playing. He shook his head, looking disappointed. "Your funeral, rabbit!" he called down to her.

Judy stuck her tongue out at him, then giggled as the alcohol made its way into her just as quick as the first time had.

Nick shook his head again in resignation and went back to focusing on what he was playing.

Judy and Sharla started to dance as the music rolled on. Nick was enjoying himself, too. He often closed his eyes as he got into the groove of a song. Judy was having a hard time picking him out of all the instruments, until she realized that every so often he would step on some little pedal on the floor that changed what the guitar sounded like.

After several tracks, they came to a song she knew well, although it took her a while to recognize the souped-up cover of 'Wicked Game.' Nick seemed a bit put off at first by the very modern take on a song that was normally slow and languid. Judy watched as Nick cocked his ears without playing initially as he listened. After a few moments, he started nodding his head. He looked down and stepped on that pedal a few times before starting to effortlessly play along.

Judy grinned big and dopey, biting her bottom lip as Nick moved over and started to provide the lead vocals as well. She made a little squeak and clutched her paws in front of her chest as she bounced up and down on her toes.

"Ain't that one of yer favorite songs?" Sharla asked in a raised voice.

Judy nodded, but didn't say anything. She didn't know what it was, but Nick's ability to play, and apparently to sing, was _super_ sexy. She started drawing up more detailed plans for the very near future that included Nick, her, and her bed.

* * *

Nick raised his ears at the cover of 'Wicked Game.' Saying it was 'rocked up' was an understatement. Where the original had been a slow, soft rockabilly ballad, this was anything but. Fast, heavy on the synth and bass. He cocked an ear and closed his eyes, listening. Not what he would have chosen, but he could do it.

He opened his eyes reached a foot out to stamp a couple of times on the pedal before joining in. Now instead of sounding like an acoustic guitar, it sounded more like a synth bass, and he played accordingly.

He spared a glance at Norris who was literally hopping up and down behind no less than two turntables and a microphone along with a huge DJ pad and keyboard.

Norris spotted him and grinned.

Nick mouthed the word 'Vocals?' to him, and he nodded and gave a quick thumbs up.

Nick moved over to the mic and adjusted it. The intro had to go one more measure before the lyrics began. He launched into them on cue, spicing them up appropriately to the style of music, often looking right at Judy who was staring raptly back at him with increasingly glazed expression.

* * *

The song ended, and everyone broke into applause. Judy smiled adoringly up at Nick. He had a big grin on his open, panting muzzle, and she felt her legs go weak when their eyes met. She tried to will her promise of after playing 'fun' in that gaze. _I am going to wreck that fox_ , she thought to herself.

A commotion, or more a lack of one, caught her attention. There was a hush falling off to the side and Judy turned as motion caught her eye.

Katherine walked down the veranda, followed by several of her cohort. Rabbits with instruments moved out of the group's way.

The anger from before boiled up inside Judy again, and it must have been obvious to Nick, she thought, when she saw his expression fall. His eyes went wide too and he turned around with his guitar held up like some sort of shield as he seemed to steel himself for whatever Katherine was now cooking up.

Katherine just walked by Nick. While she didn't pass without giving him a sly little grin, he didn't seem to be her target.

Judy about to start towards to stairs up into the Gazebo, but Sharla put a restraining hand on her arm distracting her.

"What is she up to?" Sharla asked in a whisper.

Judy ground her teeth. "Nothing good," she growled.

* * *

Nick watched Katherine as she passed by him. He felt like... well, what rabbits must feel like when a polar bear or lion walks by them, he thought. He realized that she reminded him of a predator, and guessed that was not too far off an estimation.

"What do you want, Katherine?" Norris asked wearily.

"You're always trying to get us to sing with you," she said, "Well, here we are!"

Norris stared at Katherine for a long moment, then looked over his sister's shoulder at Nick with a cocked eyebrow. Katherine followed the look. She, along with her group of followers, grinned at Nick.

"I'll behave myself," Katherine said as she turned back to Norris. "I promise. I just want to... make up for something. That's all," Nick could have sworn she almost sounded sincere. Almost.

Nick looked back to check on Judy. Sharla was holding onto Judy's arm and whispering in an ear while Judy herself was giving one of those lethal looks she was so good at.

"Nick?" Norris said.

Nick blinked, and turned back. _Thanks, buddy_ , Nick thought, _Either way, I get to be the bad guy._ "Um," he said, not sure what to say. He was sure Katherine was just up to something.

Katherine held up a finger to Norris and turned to walk over to Nick.

"Look, Nick," she said in a hushed tone and winced a bit, "I am really sorry about your head. That's, um, not that kind of bang I had in mind. And sorry about Pop-pop, too."

The honest tone to her voice caught Nick off guard.

"Uh," Nick said hesitantly. He wasn't sure where this was going. "Thanks?" he said after a moment, "But you still did try and seduce me."

That grin reappeared on Katherine's muzzle. "Oh, I did. I can assure you I'm not sorry for that." She eyed him up down biting her bottom lip deliberately.

"See, that's the problem," Nick said as his anger suddenly flared, "You don't think."

Katherine blinked, taken aback. "I-" she started but Nick cut her off.

"I take that back," he said waving a paw, "Perhaps you do think. So which is it? Do you deliberately try to be a homewrecker to your own sister, or are you just that selfish? Or heck! Why not both!" As he began to feel eyes watching them, Nick realized he should stop this tirade, but he had been interrupted by a whack to the back of his head earlier, and the indignation and anger had just come flooding back.

Katherine took a step back still looking shocked at this sudden outburst, and opened her mouth to respond, but Nick didn't let her.

"You know, I don't know which is worse," he said as he took a step forward, "Either way, it doesn't make you any less of a horrible mammal and sister." He latched onto the core of what was fueling his anger. It wasn't that Katherine had make such a blatant pass at him with Judy less than a stone's throw away — it was the fact that Katherine surely knew he was Judy's first real relationship, if not love, but she still deliberately attempted to ruin it. It seemed an attack on Judy, and that he would not abide.

"You know what I _really_ want to know?" Nick asked, "Is how mammals as nice as your parents raised such a malicious, self-centered little shit like you!" He stepped forward, not letting Katherine get a word in edgewise. Katherine was forced to start backing up as he barreled on. Nick started to realize he was probably going too far, and the silence that had dropped of the formerly raucous crowd of rabbits was unnerving. He could feel all eyes on him, but he couldn't stop himself.

"I'm willing to bet you're single not because you want to be, although I bet that's what you say, right?" Nick said. He was entering uncertain ground, but burning anger fueled his confidence, and he pressed on. "Oh, I'm sure you have a little stable of bucks as sycophants to call on for a good time, but nobody seriously pursuing you?"

Katherine's eyes flared as the shock started to wear off and her own anger started to assert itself, but Nick again cut her off just as she opened her muzzle.

"I mean who would, right?" Nick said and then sneered, "Who wants to marry the town bicycle?"

Nick winced at the gasps his comment elicited from the growing crowd.

"Ooh," Norris winced, "Dude, harsh."

Katherine's eyes suddenly blazed. "How dare you!," she snapped, "Just because-"

"Just because _what_ exactly, Katherine?" Nick interrupted, "What can you possibly say that makes the fact that you tried to seduce your sister's boyfriend, in the bathroom of all places, less worse than it is?" He gestured to the silent, perked eared crowd. "Please, do tell!" he said with dripping sarcasm, "We're all clamoring to know!"

Katherines open muzzle snapped shut and her eyes began to shine. She visibly swallowed and tried to speak but nothing came out but a stifled sob. Her eyes blinked rapidly and she looked back and forth behind Nick at all her siblings staring back.

Nick tried not to sneer. The angry expression that had started building on Katherine's face began to crumble just as quickly and a single tear leaked from the corner of one eye. This did blunt his anger, and his ears flagged. Making mammals cry was not something he relished, even if this one deserved it to some extent. He just wanted to be the guy who gave her the dressing down she so clearly needed.

Katherine stood there for a few moments, her mouth working, but all that came out was another poorly suppressed sob. She gave Nick a last fiery glare, betrayed by the quiver in her lip, before turning to stalk down the Veranda with her posse hurring after her a few stunned seconds later. All the others moved out of the way, watching in silence until Katherine disappeared inside with an impressive slam of the big front door, almost straight into the faces of those following her.

Nick's shoulders slumped and he let out a long breath.

"Wow," someone said behind him, and it took him a second to realize it was Judy.

The silence dragged out for long seconds then, from out in the back somewhere, a single "Ha!" was uttered. This broke the silence and the crowd began quietly muttering.

"Well," Norris said slowly, "That kinda killed the mood."

Nick looked at him, not ready to turn around to face the crowd or Judy just yet. "Sorry," he sighed, "I didn't mean to... go off quite like that. I guess I let things get a bit out of paw."

Norris just grinned and shook his head. "Don't be. She's had it coming for a long time."

Nick rubbed his muzzle. "I can't be the first one to tell her off," he said tiredly.

"Oh," Norris said with a shrug and his grin widened, "You're not, but nothing quite like that. Some have tried, but dude, that was _amazing_."

"Next time you need to make a sister cry, just call me up I guess," Nick said dryly and finally turned around trying to think of something more snarky and froze. Judy was in the middle of taking another swig from Gideon's flask.

"What!?" he barked, "Judy, no! No! Bad rabbit!" He speared Sharla with a glare before looking over the crowd to Gideon. The other fox peered back at him with a perplexed expression.

Judy nearly dropped the flask and let out a coughing gasp as she bent over.

Sharla, giggling, neatly plucked the flask out of Judy's paw before she dropped it and took a long pull from it herself.

Gideon saw Sharla, the ewe standing considerably taller than most of the rabbits, tilting her head back and started to pat down his front where he had put the flask before as if the flask Sharla held was somehow not his. Putting two and two together as he started forward and back through the crowd.

"Sharla!"

Sharla was not paying attention. She was now wheezing herself and stamping a foot on the ground. She looked at Nick's glare and shrugged. "You want I shoulda'," she said, and pausing to cough before continuing, "Let her leap over the railin'... and beat the stuffin' outta Katherine? Cuz that's what she was gettin' ready t'do! a minute ago!"

"And feeding her more of that stuff was your best answer?" Nick responded then blinked, "Wait a minute, how many more of those has she had?"

"I-" Sharla said suddenly on the spot. She swallowed "Well, I mean… that's what, two? Three? Four I guess if'a we're countin' the one while a while back... She'll be fine!" Judy wheezed, bent over with her paws on her knees, as Sharly spoke. "That right, Jude?"

Judy, still gasping and bent over, nodded.

Sharla smiled at Nick. "See! She'll be fine."

Judy raised a paw with a thumb up, but remained bent over. "I'm fine!" she croaked.

"Famous last words," Nick groaned, "Right along with 'here, hold my beer,' 'Hey y'all, watch this!', and 'You're going to feel a slight discomfort.' You realize she already drank a bunch of wine at dinner?"

"Uhh," Sharla said, uncertainty creeping into her voice just as Gideon parted his way through the crowd and snatched the flask out of Sharla's hand.

"Gimme that!" the other fox snapped. He took one look at Judy, and scowled at Sharla. "Fer cryin out loud, Sharla!"

"Wait," Norris said in disbelief as he interrupted to peer around Nick, "Judy's drinking? Well, well, well. How the high and mighty have fallen."

"Ffff..." Judy hissed but seemed unable to get the word out, "Fffuu..."

Nick's eyebrows went up. _Is she going to say what I think she's going to say?_ Nick wondered, but Judy gave up and just held up one paw again with an extended middle finger this time.

"Oh my," Norris chuckled, "I never thought I would see the day," he said then went to the mic. "Hey, everybody! Judy's trashed!"

"I am not!" Judy managed to croak out as she stood back up.

The crowd, most not able to see what was going on, erupted into laughter. Someone started chanting "One of us! One of us!"

Gideon shook his flask, "Good gods, you crazy ewe, it's all gone!"

Nick closed his eyes and rubbed them with thumb and forefinger. He dropped his arm abruptly and stared at Judy, who was now staring at him having apparently forgotten everything else from the looks of it.

"Fine," he said and shrugged expansively with paws upturned, "I tried. This is all on you, Fluff."

"I'm fine," Judy said and one ear slowly tilted and flopped over.

"Yeah, sure," Nick said and shook his head. "Okay... show's over. I don't think Drunky McCarrots here is long for the world."

"Stop callin' me that!" Judy complained, scowling.

"Completely ignoring her, Nick unslung his guitar and turned to look at Norris. "I think I'm done," he said over his shoulder and went to unplug the cord from the amp, "I need to get your sister to bed."

"Eww!" Norris said, "Dude!"

"What?" Nick said as he stored his guitar down in the soft case, and quickly looked back when he realized the unintentional innuendo. "C'mon, get your mind out of the gutter!"

He zipped the guitar case before hopping over the railing. He had to snap an arm out to steady Judy as his quick motion startled her and she threatened to fall over.

Nick turned her to face him paws on her shoulders. She stared back up at him with that little smile.

"Oh boy," he said, "Look at you."

"What?" Judy said, eyes again blinking out of sync.

"You are-" Nick started to say, but she cut him off.

"I'm not drunk," she insisted trying to sound serious, but only managing to sound like a drunk person refuting their drunkenness. She pulled a pretty good straight face for a moment then broke out into tittering giggles.

"She's fine," Sharla said then looked to Nick "She is fine, right?"

"I need to get her to bed," Nick said, but Judy immediately protested and scooted up to pass herself against his front.

"Nooo! I wanna listen s'more!" she said with her head back and chin pressing against his chest as she looked up at him, "We can dance… you were... really good. An' you told Kathy off good!"

 _Please let her not be combative_ , Nick thought, _Be a good little drunk rabbit and do what the nice fox tells you!_ "I thought you wanted to take me back to your room, hmm?"

Judy's eyes lit up. "Oh! Yeah!" she said then hummed as she nuzzled his chest, "Back t'my room... with a fox… _my_ fox..."

Nick was still riding a pretty decent buzz himself, although it was steadily going away given that his last drink was nearly an hour ago, whereas these last belts of moonshine were seeping into Judy's blood stream. He had watched her from the stage getting drunker by the minute after that second hit from the flask.

"Oh, that sounds fun, Fluff," he said, "Shall we?"

Judy smiled, and wrapped herself around one of his arms. "Oh yeah, Mister Fox!" she said, "Take me back t'yer den!"

"Oh, lordy," Gideon said, and Nick started to guide Judy towards the front door.

"You get you some, Jude!" Sharla said and held up a hand as a target for Judy to high five.

Judy high fived back as they passed. Or tried to at least, but missed Sharla's hand by a good two or three inches. This just made both females erupt into more laughter. Nick didn't let Judy pause, though, not wanting her to get distracted or lose momentum.

"Come on, Fluff," he said as he maneuvered through Judy's very amused family, "Keep'er movin'."

"Oh," Judy said, "I'm gonna be... all over you...Mister Fox." She seemed to find this extremely funny as she burst into more giggling. Behind them, he could hear Gideon start scolding Sharla again, and up on the veranda, Norris seemed to be talking to others, apparently getting the band ready to launch into another song now that the spectacle was over. Or at least Nick thought it was over, but it seemed Lady Irony and Mister Murphy had other ideas.

As he started to guide Judy up the stairs he noticed a hush wash through the crowd. The band stopped their prepping, and all looked outwards. Nick looked over his shoulder to see what everyone was staring at. Down the long driveway he could see the red and blue lights of a police cruiser moving.

"Well, that's just perfect," Nick groaned.

Judy blinked and looked up at Nick. "What?" She turned her head to look over her shoulder and follow Nick's gaze. Her head looked loose on her neck to Nick, wobbling as the alcohol dragged her down further with every minute. She clutched Nick's arm tighter as she saw what everyone was looking at. "We gotta cheese it! The cops are here!" she said, and burst into another fit of giggling.

He rolled his eyes. "Carrots, we are the cops. Come on, let's get you inside-" he started to say as she pulled away from him.

"No!" she said and seemed to try and rally herself, "I'm fine!" She tugged her shirt down and sniffled. She almost looked composed before the corner of her mouth twitched and she began to giggle again.

"You are not fine," Nick insisted, "And you're getting more... uh, not fine by the second!"

Judy calmed herself and cleared her throat. "I said I'm fine!" She said, and rubbed the back of her paw over her nose, sniffled loudly, and then smoothed down her t-shirt. She rolled her shoulders and adjusting her plaid outer shirt. "Come on," she said and went back down the steps and stopped. Or tried to stop. Her feet certainly stopped, but the rest of her leaned precariously forward before she caught herself.

"Judy," Nick said plaintively, "Just... sit down, please, and let me handle this."

Judy didn't reply and just resumed carefully walking out to meet the approaching police car.

Nick groaned and hurried to catch up. He wasn't about to fight her, or try and drag her inside. He hated dealing with belligerent drunks, and he wasn't entirely sure Judy would not develop beer muscles and force the issue. Dealing with drunks was probably one of the things about being a cop he leased looked forward since they were usually impossible to reason with. He knew from rather close personal experience, and it all too much of how he had acted on more than one occasion. Granted it had been long ago, but waking up in bed, wondering how you got there, then the slow horror of what you had done the night before slowly dawning- that is if you even remembered it - tended to leave a lasting impression.

"Judy," Nick pleaded as he followed her, "Talking to the locals may not be the best thing to do right now."

"I said I'm fine, Nick!" Judy snapped, but stopped suddenly and listed to one side.

Nick lunged forward and stopped Judy from toppling over. "Sure you are," he said.

"... 'kay," Judy said swallowed hard, "Just... hold m'up."

"Oh, for crying out loud," Nick said under his breath, "Fine."

The car, it turned out, was actually a more of a tricked out SUV that looked to be a cousin to the cruisers they used in the City.

As it pulled up, red and blue lights slowly strobed the front of the Burrow in a way that any fan of T.V. crime dramas would immediately recognize. The engine cut off, and the headlights went out, but the flashers remained on.

The door opened, and the biggest pig Nick had ever seen got out of the cruiser. She was dressed in a crisp looking dark uniform, large brimmed hat, and a shining black belt that held a pistol, handcuffs, and a radio.

The sow was large, but not in the typical way associated with the species. She was taller than Nick by few inches, muscled, had shoulders wider than him, and lines that actually tapered down to her a rather slim waist. She had brown head fur heavily streaked with gray pulled tightly back into a braided plat that reached halfway down her back.

She shut the cruiser door and slowly walked over to Nick and Judy.

By this time, a sizable crowd of Hopps had started to form a semicircle around them as well. Even Sharla and Gideon were standing off to the side, watching with wide eyed curiosity.

The pig nodded to the crowd. "Evenin' everyone," she said, voice surprisingly high for someone so large. She looked to Judy. "Judy," she said then turned to Nick, "Officer Wilde."

"I see my name precedes me," Nick said, giving his best neutral smile.

The pig gave a tight little smile back. "Somethin' like that," she said in a slow drawl, "I'm sheriff Tavsan. I reckon y'all know why I'm here. Is Stu around by chance?"

"Did you find Bill?" Judy blurted out. She had been rather quiet, and Nick had put an arm around her shoulders as she started to teeter again.

Sheriff Tavsan narrowed her eyes and cocked her head to one side. "Judy, you been drinking tonight?" she asked.

"Uh," Judy said and gave a little cough into a paw, "A little."

Sheriff Tavsan's eyebrows went up. "I thought you didn't drink?"

"I don't," Judy said, sounding petulant, "I mean didn't... uh..."

Nick squeezed her arm.

"What she means to say, Sheriff, is that it has been a very long, strange weekend, and, uh," Nick interjected and started to slowly turn his head and continued as his voice rose slightly, "Judy made the mistake of trying alcohol by… diving into the deep end, so to speak."

Sheriff Tavsan followed Nick's gaze to a very chagrined looking Gideon, and pinned the other fox with a glare.

"Gideon Grey, " she said sounding exasperated, "Are you making 'shine again?"

"Uh, um," Gideon stammered, ears cocking back, "J-j-j-just a little Ma'am... uh, sheriff!"

Tavsan took in a slow breath and sighed. "Oh, relax, Gid," she said and hooked her thumbs into her belt, "It ain't illegal. Unless yer sellin' it... and you're not sellin' it, are ya?"

"N-no Ma'am! Uh, sheriff," Gideon said without hesitation and visibly swallowed.

"Gideon," Tavsan said, "Ma'am or sheriff. Either will do. Pick one."

"Y-y-yes sheri- uh, Ma'a... uh sheriff," Gideon stammered.

Tavsan sighed again and looked upward. "I was supposed t'be home an hour ago," she said to no one in particular, then looked to Judy again. "Gideon, you should know better than t'give rabbits moonshine."

"I-I-" Gideon started again but Sharla spoke up.

"That was my fault, Sheriff," she said, finally looking a bit embarrassed.

Tavsan's eyes looked down to Sharla. "Sharla, ain't it?" she asked and continued when the sheep nodded. "You do know rabbits ain't good at holdin' strong liquor, right?"

"Well, I sure do now," Sharla said with a bit of snark.

Tavsan's formidable glare bore into Sharla. "Girl, are you sassin' me?" Before Sharla could answer Nick broke in.

"Uh, Sheriff, I don't see what this has to do with Bill?"

Tavsan slowly turned her head back to Nick, but didn't let her eyes off Sharla until she was facing him. He had to wonder if police chiefs and sheriffs all took the same 'How to intimidate people with your eyes' class.

Tavsan looked at Nick for a moment again down Judy. "To answer your question, Officer Wilde," she said as her eyes moved back up to Nick, "Bill Hopperson said Judy attacked him, and he's got a pretty smashed up muzzle t'back up that claim."

"I didn't!" Judy protested with loud, and somewhat slurring, indignance. "I... uh, well..." she blinked. "Wait, what was the question?"

Nick gave a brittle smile at the Sheriff. Out of the corner of his muzzle hissed at Judy, "Shut it, Fluff. Be a mime!"

Judy looked up at Nick for a moment with a drunkenly puzzled expression then burst into a fit of giggles when she got the joke. "Be a mime!" she laughed and bent over, paws on her knees, and Nick had to catch her and pull her upright as she began to fall forward.

 _Well, that didn't work_ , Nick thought sourly.

Tavsan sighed, took her hat off, and looked around as she ran a hand back over her head. She looked back looking suddenly weary. "Was she this drunk when it happened?"

Nick shook his head. "No ma'am," he said, "We had a couple of glasses of wine at dinner, but Mister Grey didn't show up until just after the, uh, incident."

Tasvan a very pig like grunt. "Okay. Then someone, please tell me what the hell happened?" she asked, "Stu said Hopperson came drivin' like a maniac with a car full of kits. This true? Speaking of which, where is Stu? I would like t'talk to him too. He told me about the drivin' and kits, but he didn't say anything about beatin' Hopperson up."

"Uh, he and Bonnie went to bed a while ago," Nick said as he held the still snickering Judy against his side, "You, uh, want someone to go get him?"

Tavsan waved a hand. "Nah, leave it," she said, "Alright, what happened?"

"He was a... drunk jerk is wha' happened," Judy slurred and Nick tried to shush her again.

"I got a video!" Someone from the crowd behind them said followed by two more voices who chimed in with 'Me too!'.

Nick's ears went up, and he looked over his shoulder as the one of the speakers was padding up. It was one of Judy's sisters, but one he had not been introduced to or met yet.

"I was taking a video for my Muzzlebook when he came racing up! I got the whole thing!" the doe said as she passed by Nick looking down at her phone and poking at the screen.

"That'll do," Tavsan said and took the proffered phone from the does outstretched paw.

Tavsan turned the phone as the video started playing. The tinny sound of the crowd emanated from the tiny speaker with a few closer voices laughing and talking.

Nick waited looking down at Judy who, after exhausting her giggles, had just leaned up against him and was hugging his arm tightly to her front. She was going downhill very fast.

The crowd of Hopps behind them was remarkably quiet while the video played out; a veritable forest of rabbit ears perked and listening attentively.

When it got to the point Judy had hit Bill, Judy, who had apparently been listening too, made a punching motion with an arm. "Punched him right inna his stupid face!" she said with a drunken grin.

Nick patted Judy. "You sure did, slugger!" he said with the voice one used for praising a child or in this case one very drunk rabbit. _I really need to get her to bed_ , he thought, _and soon_.

Nick heard the 'whump' and gasping croak for air from Bill after Judy flipped him over and Tavsan's eyebrows went up. "Nice move, Judy." she said.

"I know, right?" Judy said with a big grin, then asked Nick in a much too loud whisper, "Wha' I do?"

Nick sighed and patted her again. "Don't worry about it."

"'kay," Judy said and went back to snuggling his arm.

The video ended and Tavsan handed the phone back to its owner with a sigh. "Will you send me a copy of that, please? Tavsan at bunnyburrow dot gov."

"Sure thing sheriff!" the doe said and padded back to the group while poking away at the phone.

Tavsan pushed her hat up and rubbed her forehead while looking down. After several seconds of apparent contemplation, she muttered, "That damn stupid idiot!" She looked up, hooking her thumbs into her belt again. "Alright, " she said, "Now that I know what happened. To answer Judy's' question, yes we did find Hopperson. I sent a car out to his place, but when he wasn't there, I sent 'em out looking. Then we got a call from the urgent care in town about thirty minutes ago. Apparently, Hopperson showed up there when the bleedin' wouldn't stop, and drunk off his ass."

She paused for a moment to give a look at Judy, who was either not listening or was falling asleep while clinging to Nick's arm.

Tavsan shook her head and continued. "I sent my boys over there. Seems the docs had a heck of time getting the bleeding under control due to the alcohol in his system. They did it under control, but Judy did quite a number on him too. Aside from the cartilage, he's also got hairline fracture along one side of his muzzle. Blood tests showed he was over twice the legal limit. Also found half an open half bottle'a booze in the car."

Tavsan started to pace back and forth, looking down in thought. "Well, I can't stop him from tryin' to press charges, but I can try an'... dissuade him. I can tell you right now the local DA will toss it right out after watchin' that video. This is private property, and there were some serious extenuating circumstances, though that won't stop him from tryin' for civil lawsuit if he's really determined. My guess is once he sobers up, he'll be right conciliatory." She paced for a bit more then shook her head and stopped pacing to face them again. "But I can't let the drunk drivin' with the kits in the car go tho," she said, "If it had just been him, I'd throw him in the drunk tank and warnin'... maybe, but not in this case."

Nick grimaced. This was kind of the outcome they were hoping to avoid. "You, uh, think they'll throw the book at him?"

Tavsan looked down and pondered again. "I dunno. Probably not. I know the Judge, he's not too much of a hardass, 'specially for a mule. Hopperson ain't got no record or history of bein' a troublemaker, so my guess is he'll get away with a suspended license for a month or two, mandatory drug and alcohol class, and probably some community service. The wild card is the kits. If the DA is havin' a bad day, he may decide to bump it up from first time DUI offense misdemeanor to a felony. I don' think he will, though. A lot's gonna depend on if Hopperson comes with his hat in his hand or not."

Nick shrugged. Not much to be done now, and Bill had brought it on himself.

Tavsan reached up and grabbed the corded mic clipped the front of her uniform. She leaned her head down and spoke. "Jarvis, come in."

"Copy that, sheriff," a deep male voice came back after a few seconds.

"They gonna release Hopperson or keep him overnight?" Tavsan asked.

"Lemme check," the voice said. There was a pause as everybody waited. Tavsan nodded at Judy while speaking to Nick, "I recommend you get her to bed here soon."

"I don' wanna go t'bed!" Judy protested and pressed her face into the fur of Nick's arm.

"You read my mind sheriff!" Nick said quickly then said down to Judy, "Yes you do."

"I do?" Judy asked and blinked up at Nick then a big smile spread across her muzzle, "Mmmm, yeah! Think I do, _Mister_ Fox!"

"Oh boy," Nick said. He had been half hoping that if the booze were going to do anything, it would erase that particular memory.

Tavsan arched an eyebrow and Sharla snickered off to the side.

Judy giggled and started humming the tune as she nuzzling and nibbling at Nick's arm again

Nick gave a toothy, forced grin.

They were saved when the sheriff's radio chirped and the voice came back. "Keepin' him over night. They're still kinda worried about that bleedin'."

"Alright," Tavsan said, "I want one of you t'stay there. Hopperson is now officially under arrest so read him his rights when you think he's sober enough. He is not to leave. If he tries, have them restrain him until they're ready to discharge. When they do discharge him take him to county and book him on DUI, reckless driving, and child endangerment to start with."

"Copy that," Jarvis said and the radio went silent.

Nick winced. He suspected the charges would mostly get tossed or pleaded down, but perhaps it would give Bill a good scare too. At any rate, his infatuation with Judy was very likely at an end.

Tavsan looked around for a moment. "Alright, I think we're done here. Someone have Stu call me in the mornin', please." she said. She nodded and grabbed the brim of her hat. "Y'all have a good night, " she said then added, "And Officer Wilde, get that rabbit to bed."

"Yes ma'am," Nick said gave a two fingered salute.

They all watched the sheriff climb back into the cruiser. The flashers went off, and the big SUV turned around and drove back down the drive, gravel crunching under its tires.

Nick let out a big sigh, his shoulders slumping.

The group behind started to break up and move back to the veranda, although Nick thought the sheriff's visit may have put an end to festivities for the night.

Gideon and Sharla walked up, both rather reconciliatory.

"You okay, Judy?" Sharla asked tentatively.

"Mmmm?" Judy hummed and turned her head, which was still leaning against Nick's arm, and blinked blearily. "I'm f-fine."

"I'm sorry, Nick," Sharla said sounding genuine now, all the laughter was gone, "I didn't know it would hit her this hard."

"N-naw," Gideon said next, "I-I shouldn't have brung in in t'first place!"

Nick raised a paw. "It's okay, these things happen," he said, "But I do think I'll see about getting her into bed. I'm about beat myself."

Gideon nodded. "Yeah, I-I reckon so. I think it's 'bout time for us t'get going too," he said and Sharla nodded.

"Okay, well," Nick said, "Regardless of Drunky McCarrot's here and all the excitement it's been a pleasure," he said, "And don't forget those pies tomorrow!"

"Good and done!" Gideon said and nodded.

"Ssstop callin' me that!" Judy protested.

"Pies?" Sharla asked and with that Nick turned Judy away, leaving Gideon to explain the idea with the pies.

Nick managed to coax Judy into walking back to the door, and with the help of others, through it. Judy had started to become a bit more lucid after he got her moving, but he was fairly certain she would just fall down if she didn't have him to steady her.

"Mmm," Judy hummed and leaned into Nick, "Hey, hey Mmmmister fffox!" she sang, "Gonna... take you back t'my den an' show ya my garden again!" She broke out into giggles, and Nick rolled his eyes.

Nick was not feeling amorous at all, just dead tired. Now that all the excitement was done, his own eyelids were starting to grow increasingly heavy. He began to think about how he would fend Judy off if she continued her advances, but half suspected that once her head hit the pillows she would be out in moments.

They were halfway down the hall to Judy's room when she suddenly stopped. She blinked, eyes unfocused, and made a little 'urp' sound.

"Nick," she said, her voice strained, "I... I think I'm gonna be sick."

* * *

Judy dry heaved into the toilet for what seemed like the hundredth time.

"It won't stop!" she cried as she slumped back, and rested her forehead against the lip of the porcelain. The cool contact just felt so good.

She had thrown up everything from dinner long ago, but still, her stomach heaved every minute or two. After each she felt better, but then the next wave would hit, and she would do it all over again. It didn't help that the entire world appeared to be rapidly spinning.

Nick was leaning in against the door frame of the open stall she was in and watched, but there wasn't much he could do. After scooping her up and dashing with her to the bathroom just in time to get her into a stall, he had helped as best he could by holding her ears for her so they would not get into the mess. This had proved awkward due to the narrowness of the stalls, and he had eventually tucked the very limp ears into the back of her t-shirt collar. He had also removed the choker just in case, but there was nothing left to do now other than being there until this passed.

"That is because," Nick said, "You are experiencing borderline alcohol poisoning."

"You're not helping!" she stomach roiled again, "Oh no..." She lurched forward as another wave of dry heaving hit.

"If it makes you feel any better," Nick said, "I have been in your position many times."

Judy coughed and spit into the toilet. "Oh, gods, make it stop!" she whined and rested her head again, panting.

"Would if I could, Fluff," Nick said and reached down to rub her back, "Would if I could. Unfortunately, your only option is to suffer through it."

This just made Judy cry because she already knew that. As spinny as the world was, the classes on drugs and alcohol were all featuring prominently in her thoughts between bouts of retching. She had never ever felt this bad before. She'd had the flu once, and that had been horrible, but this was a whole other type and order of being 'sick.'

Nick reached down and rubbed her back in small circles, which momentarily took her mind off the pain in her stomach. Nick fretted behind her, trying his best to comfort her in the narrow confines of the stall.

There had been a few that had come into the bathroom chuckling after Nick whisked her in here, but Judy was in no position to pay attention as her body rebelled against the alcohol. She did remember Mags cackling madly, though.

She felt her stomach start to churn yet again. "Oh, gods... oh gods," she panted, "Please... please... no... I promise I'll never drink again!"

"There are those famous last words again," Nick said as he gingerly rubbed along her back.

"I'm gonna kill you, Wilde!" She said just before retching again.

"Have to be able to stand first, Fluff," Nick said, and sighed sounding tired.

Judy slumped back, panting, waiting for the next round. When it didn't come, she opened her bleary, bloodshot eyes, and swallowed the sour taste of bile and blueberries. The world wasn't spinning quite so much anymore. Or... was it? _Oh gods, is it finally over?_ she wondered and dared to sit down and lean against the side wall.

Nick squatted down and looked at her for long second. "How you feeling?" he asked quietly..

Judy slowly turned her head to look at him. The world still tilted, but slowly began to settle. "Horrible," she said and closed her eyes, panting. The wall was cool and felt good against her back, and she was so tired. "I can't believe I wanted to get you into bed twenty minutes ago. I... I jus' wanna go t'sleep," she said as a sudden wave of fatigue settled over her.

"Let's give it a few," Nick said, but she didn't respond. She winced as her stomach twitched, and she braced herself, but things calmed without anything further. After a few more minutes of spinning, but no heaving, she said in a weak voice, "Take me t'bed, Nick."

"Okay," Nick said and started to help her up.

Everything tilted crazily and spun again. She froze and closed her eyes tight as her muscles locked. She was sure she was going to heave, but again the expected involuntary clenching didn't quite materialize.

"You okay?" Nick asked quietly.

She nodded. "I... think so," she said wearily.

"You want to get cleaned up first? You really need to drink some water too," Nick said.

Judy nodded as she leaned heavily on Nick who guided her over to the sinks. She shifted away from him and leaned on the counter instead, trembling. She felt incredibly weak, her legs threatening to let her collapse, but she managed to remain upright. She fumbled with the faucet, turning the cold water on, and leaned over to liberally splash and rub her face.

The cold water felt amazing and gave her a bit of energy, but it also drove home how thirsty she was so she ducked her head down drank right from the tap.

"Take it easy," Nick warned, "Don't over do it."

Judy didn't listen, but finally had had enough and stood back up. She felt a twinge in her belly, and for a second thought she was going to hurl up the water she had just drank, but it thankfully stayed down.

She finally saw herself in the mirror, and realized she looked as awful as she felt. Eyes red and sunken, ears as limp as overcooked noodles, fur wet and matted down, and water dripping from her chin. She looked like some of the drunks she had picked up on patrol before. _Never again_ , she promised herself.

"Here," Nick said and gently put his paws on her shoulders and turned her around, and kneeled down in front of her. He pulled his ever present handkerchief from a pocket, and gently started to dry her face and muzzle. "How you doing?"

"Why do mammals do this, Nick?" she asked and hated how whiny she sounded. Her chest still heaved as she panted, and her throat felt raw and constricted. _Gods, even breathing is hard_ , she thought.

Nick chuckled as he carefully dried around her eyes with a corner of the handkerchief . "No one starts out thinking 'Hey, I know how I want to end the night! Puking my guts out and passing out on the bathroom floor!' Besides, you were feeling great just an hour ago, remember?"

Judy didn't respond. It was hard to think straight, and she just looked at Nick, who seemed pretty tired and worn out as well. She held still, swaying slightly as Nick ran the handkerchief back over her forehead. "M'sorry," she said quietly as he finished.

Nick smiled gently. "It's okay," he said, "Just… try to remember this and pace yourself next time, hmm? Pretty sure just about all alcohol tears through you bunnies."

"Never drink," Judy started to say but was interrupted by a hiccup, "...again!"

"Those famous last words again, Carrots," Nick said, "You want me to carry you to bed?"

She nodded, her eyes wanting to drift close. "Yes please," she said barely above a whisper.

* * *

By the time Nick got to the door of Judy's room, she was already asleep. He managed to shift her a bit and get the door open without waking her, although he doubted much would wake her at this point.

He gently set her down on the bed, and began working her out of her clothing. Once finished, he covered her in the sheet and plush comforter. She made one little noise, but aside from that, she was out cold.

Nick smiled and shook his head. He let out a breath and rubbed his face with both paws. "What a day," he muttered to himself. He blinked a few times; he was not long for the world, but first, he needed to get Judy some more water. He needed to down some water himself, too. Long gone were the days where he could drink with impunity and not suffer the after effects other than a slight fuzziness the next day. That ability seemed to die out around... _well around Judy's age,_ now that he thought about it. He chuckled and headed back out the door.

He wasn't sure where he should go. The bathroom only had those little paper cups in a dispenser stuck to one side of the mirror. He could go outside and get some of the juice there, assuming it was still out there. Things had seemed to start breaking up after Tavsan left, and he had heard plenty of others passing by while he stood watch over Judy. Several had popped in as well, only to stop when they saw him, realize what was going on and then leave with comments about going to one of the other bathrooms.

There had to be another kitchen outside of the one in Stu and Bonnie's area, but he really didn't feel like exploring.

 _Wait_ , he thought, _Stu and Bonnie's area..._ Could he just pop in there? They had to be asleep.

He slipped out of Judy's room and sauntered down the hall. He had the urge to sneak, to stick close to the walls. He was a fox in a rabbit burrow, after all, and after that encounter with Katherine and Pop-pop, his instincts wanted him to keep to the shadows. He didn't sneak, however. Sneaking just drew attention to you. It was better to act as you just belonged there and knew where you were going.

He didn't meet anyone luckily, and the lights had been dimmed since they had gotten inside. Noise echoing from the main area told him the TV was still on in the main area, however if at a reduced volume, and the sound of a program or another echoed down the long, wide hallway.

He opened the main door to Bonnie and Stu's area and stepped into the small anteroom, then slipped as quietly as he could into the kitchen.

The kitchen was mostly dark, with the pale reflected moonlight coming in through the window and a few bright points of green or red power indicators.

He didn't bother with turning on the lights; his night vision showing the room clearly if in more of a monochrome. He padded quietly over and started opening cabinets, finding one with cups and glasses on his third try.

"Ah!" he whispered as he found the perfect cups. A stack of large, orange, cheap plastic cups that were nested together.

He pulled one cup out and filled it at the sink, downing it in one go. He was reaching to refill the cup to take back to Judy when the lights suddenly flicked on making him jump and nearly hit his head on the low ceiling.

"You're not very sneaky for a fox," Jackie said chuckling behind him.

Nick slumped and sighed, his heart pounding. He turned around to see Jackie standing in a dark doorway into the interior.

"I was afraid you were your mother," Nick said and continued to fill the cup. "Sorry for intruding, but I wasn't sure where else to go to get a nice big cup of water for your very drunk sister."

Jackie was silent for a moment. "Wait... Judy is drunk?," she asked as Nick turned back around and leaned against the counter.

"More like 'here, let me hold your ears while you hug the toilet' drunk," he said. Jackie was still dressed in the same clothes from earlier. Her eyes looked bloodshot and damp. "Also, more like passed out right now. I just put her to bed after the dry heaving stopped."

"Wow," Jackie said with a small grin, "I never thought I would see the day. You are a bad influence! Judy never used to drink!"

Nick rolled his eyes. "I tried to stop her, thank you very much!" he said defensively, "Blame Gideon, his homemade moonshine, and Sharla. She was apparently the one egging her on."

Jackie blinked. "Sharla?"

Nick nodded and looked down at the water he was holding and decided to take a sip. "Yeah, black wooled sheep? A friend of Judy's from a ways back that moved away?."

"Jumbuck," Jackie said.

"Bless you," Nick replied and Jackie snorted.

"Very funny, smartass. Jumbuck is her last name," Jackie said, "Did she move back to town or something?"

Nick nodded. "Mmmhmm," he hummed, "And get this: she's engaged to Gideon Grey."

Jackie's mouth dropped open.

"And that is exactly how Judy looked when she heard the news," Nick said with a tired smirk.

"Get out of town," Jackie said in disbelief, "Sharla is going to marry... Gideon?"

Nick shrugged. "Apparently. Seems like you country girl herbivores are just magnetized to us foxes! Who knew?" he said casually and wagged his eyebrows as he took another sip of the water.

Jackie gave a half hearted laugh and then took a large breath as she rubbed at her forehead with one paw. "What a shit day," she sighed. She blinked rapidly and seemed to be on the verge of tears before her expression smoothed.

Nick nodded silently, watching Jackie carefully. After a few moments of silence, he asked, "So, how are you and the kits doing?" Nick could see Jackie's jaw clench at the question, and she walked forward to lean against the kitchen island, resting her arms on it.

"Okay, I guess," she said. "Doing as okay as we can be."

Nick grunted noncommittally. "I guess you heard about what happened?" he asked, "Bonnie said you didn't actually see."

Jackie nodded. "Yeah," she said and she gave a genuine smile, "Mom told me before going to bed. Said Judy punched him?"

Nick hummed. "Uh, yeah, yeah she did. Hard." he said, looking down and not.

Jackie looked at Nick for a long moment. Silence settled between them. "How hard?"

Nick sighed. _I just wanted to get a glass of water_ , he thought to himself. "Well, uh, the deputy sheriffs fou-"

"Wait!" Jackie interrupted, "Who called the sheriff?"

Nick blinked. "Um, didn't your mom tell you?"

Jackie shook her head. "No, she came in to see how we were doing, told me Judy punched Bill and sent him packing, that's all!"

"Oh," Nick said making a pronounced 'o' with his lips, "Um, okay, I guess I should fill you in then. Your dad called the Sheriff when we got worried after the fact about sending a very drunk Bill off in a car." Nick pushed off the counter and came to lean against the island across from Jackie. "They didn't find him at his house, and then the urgent care in town called in to inform them Bill showed up there with uncontrollable bleeding, and apparently even more drunk. Turns out he blew over twice the legal limit."

Jackie groaned and put a paw to her forehead as Nick was about to continue, and he paused as he saw a little shudder as she took a very slow, heavy, and deliberate breath.

Nick reached across the island and took Jackie's other paw that was still resting on the cool tile. "Hey, hey, hey," he said gently, "It's okay."

Jackie squeezed Nick's paw gratefully, and wipe at her eyes with the other. "I just... I just can't stop thinking about what could have happened... if he had crashed on the way here," she said her voice cracking. She squeezed Nick's paw again but disengaged it from his.

"Yeah, I know," Nick said, "That's what's got him in the most trouble."

Jackie sniffed loudly. "So what happened?"

"Well," Nick continued, "Tavsan sent the deputies to the urgent care, and apparently ol' Bill started saying he wanted to press charges. Said Judy attacked him, so Tavsan came out here to get the other side of the story."

"The sheriff was here?" Jackie asked.

"Oh, yes," Nick said and raised his eyebrows, "Quite the figure she cuts too. Reminds me of my boss. Anyway, yeah, she was out here, and luckily one of your sisters caught the whole thing on her camera." Nick paused for a moment. "Um, Bill's in a lot of trouble. They arrested him, and when the urgent care releases him they're going to book him for DUI, reckless driving, and child endangerment... to start with. Sheriff thinks he'll get off light because he's got a clean record, but having the kits in the car dialed the stupid up to eleven. At the very least he's going to lose his license for a while, some mandatory classes, probably some community service. It's all up in the air for now."

Jackie had started to stare through Nick as she thought, but after some contemplation, her expression hardened. "Good," she said coldly, "He made this bed, let him sleep in it."

Nick winced. Bill had certainly had it coming, but memories of his mother raising him alone flickered through his mind.

"You don't approve?" Jackie asked when seeing his expression.

"Eh," Nick said noncommittally and shrugged, "I didn't have a dad growing up, so my view may be a bit… biased? I dunno." He shrugged again and took another sip of the water. "Then again, I don't think your kits will be lacking for good male role models around here.

Jackie snorted out a laugh. "Plenty of bad ones too," she said.

Nick grinned, but it was forced. Thinking about his absent father always made him melancholy. He shook himself out of his reverie. "But maybe this will be a wakeup call for him. I can tell you his infatuation with Judy has to be over. She broke his nose and fractured his muzzle on one side."

Jackie's eyes went wide. "Seriously?"

Nick nodded. "According to what we heard on Tavsan's radio, yup," Nick said, "I predict a lot of soft foods in Bill's foreseeable future."

Jackie's eyes went unfocused again for a moment, and she grinned wickedly in amusement at the idea. Her expression fell again though as she refocused on Nick. She looked down at the tiles on the island top and sighed, "I'm just so angry right now."

"And rightfully so," Nick said, "In the short term, I think everybody just needs to take it easy."

Jackie sighed again. "Yeah," she said, "Yeah, I guess so."

Neither of them spoke for half a minute as they both became lost in thoughts.

"You should come visit Judy and me in the city sometime," Nick said with sudden inspiration.

Jackie's ears perked. "Seriously? Why?"

Nick shrugged. "Why not? Get away from here for a while. Let us show you a good time around town," he said then smiled, "I'm pretty sure you can find someone to watch the kits for a weekend."

Jackie snort-giggled and nodded. "I think we have that covered," she said, "Mmm, it is tempting. I've never really been there. I mean, I was there once years ago long enough to drop something off, but that's it."

"Well," Nick said and stood up, "Think about it, and let us know. Who knows, if Bill is gone for good, maybe we could find you a city boy fox like your sister has." That elicited an exaggerated eye roll from Jackie as they both quietly laughed together. Nick arched his back, yawned hugely, and moved towards the sink to top off the cup. "And with that," he said, "I've had just about enough excitement for one evening. I'm about to fall over. I don't think your mom would care to find a me curled up in her kitchen."

Jackie gave the first genuine grin he'd seen since earlier today when they arrived. "Okay," she said, "Me too, just been too wound up until now, you know?"

Nick nodded. "I get you. I guess I'll see you tomorrow, then. Good night. Get some sleep." he said as he started for the door.

"Nick?" Jackie asked as he just started to open the door. He paused to look at her, ears perked. "Hmm?"

"Thank you," Jackie said, "For, you know, everything. Out there, and filling me in."

Nick smiled gently and raised the cup in a toast, "My pleasure, Jackie. Good night."

"Good night, Nick."

He smiled as he walked back down towards Judy's room. It had been one crazy day to be sure, and now he would cuddle and curl up around Judy for some well-deserved sleep.

His phone started to ring.

He stopped. "Who the heck," he muttered and shifted the cup of water to the other paw so he could reach into his pocket.

He quirked an eyebrow at the screen. It was Clawhauser. He thumbed the answer icon and put the phone to his ear.

"I'm guessing you have a good reason for calling this late, Ben? And no, I am not going to give you inside information on me and Judy's relationship."

"Hey, Nick," Clawhauser said, his normally cheery demeanor absent, "Is Judy with you?"

The fur along Nick's spine started going up. Serious Clawhauser was never a good thing. "She's asleep," he said as his tone became serious as well, "What's going on?"

"Um," Clawhauser said hesitantly, "Chief wants to talk to both of you. Um, this isn't public knowledge yet, so keep it quiet, but... Dawn Bellwether escaped from the penitentiary. They're starting to think she's going to come after you guys."

Nick pulled the phone away and looked at the screen in disbelief.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me."

* * *

Word from the Author:

I know, I know, I know! I'm taking for freaking ever. This chapter has actually been written for months now. Mostly my fault, but both Mord and I were dragging our feet on the editing. I planning on cranking out things faster, I don't like taking months between chapters and we're transitioning back to ZT where things are going to get more interesting I hope. Glad to see the last of BB... too many dammed rabbits! Thanks again to Editors for keeping me reigned in and catching stupid typos!


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